Life, accidental
by ChanelAddict
Summary: Two single people lose their bestfriends only to inherit a baby, and with her comes a whole new life, accidental. E/S. AU. M.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: New story! What would happen if two single people, who don't like each other all that much, inherited a baby? We're about to find out.**

**Warning for : Possible swearing, possible cuteness, mountains of sexual tension, one baby girl and two idiots.**

**Reviews are of course encouraged since I'm on tender hooks over what to make of this plot bunny! **

**Life, accidental. **

Crying. All I heard was her crying. Not a full blown wail of a cry, but a small simpering cry that at any moment I just knew could blow up into a scream that would wake the neighbours. How did I know what kind of cry she had? That was easy. It came with the experience of the last six months raising this baby girl. This baby girl who biologically had nothing whatsoever to do with me; the baby girl who saw me, this random guy, as her daddy. And that right there, sitting in the rocking chair to the left of her crib, would be her mommy (not biological, of course). Somehow we both ended up here, two strangers, in our friends' house, raising their only child. How? That, I'm still not one hundred percent sure to tell you the truth. One minute I am free as a bird, single as they come - and loving it. I had a job I loved, a life I loved and lived to the fullest. The next minute, I get a call and suddenly I'm _responsible._

Responsible for her, for this house, and in many ways for the woman who was also present on that life changing night. In a heartbeat we became a family.

A completely out of whack, out of sorts, insane, dysfunctional, family.

A little over six month ago I was in the middle of a date. Well, I say '_date'_ but I mean the sex after an hour at dinner flirting with her. It was my usual M.O.—flirt my heart out, go in for the kill, if they're easy it's a panty dropper right then and there, if not spring for a dinner or something that looks like a date—bang, and leave. It had worked well for me for years, and I saw no need to stop since it got me exactly what I wanted—laid, then left alone. What more could a guy ask for?

Apparently he might not ask for more, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to get it.

I got the call from the hospital, asking for my presence right away. There had been an accident. I froze, a chill of dread making its way down my spine. I knew, despite the fact that the nurse wouldn't tell me a damn thing of detail over the phone—but I just knew something very bad was very wrong.

I dumped Ginger, or Saffron or Garlic, or whatever the hell her name was, leaving her there in my bed with a stern warning to get her shit and go. She didn't take it well, but then again I didn't really give a damn. My best friend was dying, or worse, possibly dead. The last thing I wanted to be worrying about was some trick and her 'feelings'.

Rushing through the damp roads it seemed like my foot was made of lead. I parked my Corvette though I couldn't tell you where, and ran as fast as my legs would take me, to the emergency entrance. I got to intensive care and saw her standing there talking to a cop, tears in her eyes, makeup streaked, hair wet. Sookie Stackhouse.

Ms. Stackhouse and I had a rather…_tempestuous_ relationship to put it mildly. My best friend Alcide, and her cousin Hadley had set us up on a date once. It was a complete disaster. She hated me on sight, and her hate made me forget her hotness and all we were left with was a hostile silent dinner. Like I said, a disaster.

It just so happened that my best friend and her cousin had married each other, and it was because of them that we both ended up in the hospital that night.

"Mr. Northman?" The heavy set cop asked reaching out his hand to shake mine. I obliged as he told me he was sorry for my loss.

_Loss._

Alcide was dead.

I heard Sookie sob, "Eric, they're both gone."

I felt my stomach drop. God what about the baby?

As if she was reading my mind Sookie spoke up. "What about baby Jessica? God…!" She ran her fingers through her hair as more tears flowed from her eyes. I just couldn't deal with women when they cried.

"Miss…the child is fine."

"Fine?" Sookie and I said in unison."Yes, fine. The truck skidded on the wet road… there was a undiscovered oil spill, and as I told you, the collision was mainly to the front side of the vehicle. The child was securely fastened in her car seat and the back of the car wasn't touched. She's a little shaken up, but mostly she's fine. She's a baby Miss, I'm sure she's not even aware what has happened."

My heart sank again. It felt like it should maybe relocate into my stomach since it had been there most of the night. That baby was Al's life. He'd always wanted children, and when he and Hadley got married it was all he talked about. It made him an amazing wing man for me. Talking up babies and wanting babies with single women looking for that father figure was the pathway to golden sex opportunities—for me. He'd talk them up, then flash the ring and bow out like a good honest husband and amazing best friend. Not that I needed help getting women—the only trouble with the women is sometimes there were just too many of them and not enough hours in the night—but his sweet talk ensured that I didn't have to, saving me precious time.

Time was the one thing I'd never really considered until that night, standing there in that dank hospital corridor, with the fat cop and the crying blonde who hated my guts. Time started to slow down as he told me Jessica was being checked over in the ER, and that she'd stay with a foster family for the night until CPS decided what was best for her. It was then we were approached by a small man in a black suit, carrying a Hermes suitcase and looking as sharp as a pin.

"Mr. Northman I assume?" He shook my hand and turned to address Sookie.

"I'm Mr. and Mrs. Herveaux's attorney. I know now isn't the best time but I'd really like to speak with you both, if that's okay?" Sookie nodded, wrapping her pink cardigan around her body in a comforting motion before we both took our seats near the reception desk/area.

Trust Alcide to be on his damn deathbed, but still remember to call a lawyer.

"I've been called in to deal with my client's last will and testament.""Look buddy, no offense or anything but my best friend, and her cousin have just died. Don't you think you could give us a day to deal with that?"

"I would Sir, believe me, but this is rather urgent. There were stipulations made in the will that I do this should they both meet an untimely death."

I motioned for him to continue, and he did, bringing out a stack of papers from his case.

"It was stipulated that in the event of their untimely death, and should their daughter survive and remain under the age of legal consent, that she and any and all possessions that she should inherit would pass to you."

"Excuse me?" Sookie spoke up. A stunned look on her tired face.

"What I mean is Jessica is willed, to you… both of you.""WHAT?" She jumped as I yelled at the sharp lawyer sitting in front of me.

"Willed? What do you mean willed? She's not an asset, she's a baby, a human being! That…That…""Why us?" Sookie asked gently.

"They believed you both to be the best option available to them should this occur. Believe me Ms. Stackhouse, when people your age make a will the very idea that it may become a reality sooner rather than later is rare. But it is stated that you, and Mr. Northman, should you accept, will inherit the main house in Shreveport, the Summer home in California, as well as the two cars and all contents…And of course little Jessica."

Sookie was stunned into silence. I knew she was stunned because in the couple of times I'd been around her she was a little mouthy, so this silence was new.

"I don't understand." She spoke meekly to the lawyer. "I just don't get it. Why would they choose US of all people? I mean, they knew we…don't exactly see eye-to-eye."That was a mild way of putting it.

"Why would Hadley and Alcide choose us both?""Like I said Ms., they believed you both to be the best choice, and in the best interests of the child. There are other items pertaining to the will but they are currently at my office. I'll have them forwarded to you first thing on Monday morning if that is acceptable."

She just nodded.

He shook her hand and apologized for our loss again, promising to be in touch.

There was that word again—loss. They couldn't really be dead, could they? It still felt like they'd just stepped out to the next room and any minute they'd jump in on us yelling and laughing about how good they got us with a prank.

That feeling began to fade when the female doctor approached us about identifying the bodies.

I saw Sookie inhale a breath she didn't let go of. The panic and fear in her eyes got to me more than I would admit, so I did something I never did with women.

I reached for her hand.

I saw her finally blink before she exhaled, staring at our hands joined for a second before she tenderly squeezed back. We walked to the morgue to say goodbye to our best friends.

**SPOV:**I'd been in the middle of yet another fight with Bill when the phone rang. He, of course, demanded that I ignore it; that I pay attention to him and his problems. Bill and I had been dating—if you could call it dating—for a few months, though in all honesty I had checked out emotionally and physically, weeks into the relationship. He had too. I knew that. It was one of the reasons I began to pull away from him to begin with. Our hearts weren't in it, but we stayed together…because well, it beat being alone.

I'd ignored his demand to let the phone ring as he continued to yell about how I didn't trust him around his co-workers—which I didn't, and for good reason. I knew that I wasn't having sex with him, and if I wasn't, someone else sure as hell was. I didn't care. I should have cared, but I didn't. I'd been wanting to break up for a while, and the phone call from his little girlfriend Selah just pushed me in the direction I needed to go. I was minutes away from walking out of the apartment when my cell rang.

_Accident. Highway. Truck. Car. Hadley and Alcide._

It was all I heard. The rest I remember, came out almost like white noise. I knew to get to the hospital as soon as I could; Hadley meant the world to me. Outside of my idiot brother, she was the only family either of us had. We had each other, and we'd been raised liked sisters. The idea of anything happening to her, it almost made my heart stop.

I heard Bill yell for me to come back. I just closed the door as gently as I could before I got into my car in the parking lot, took the deepest breath I could manage before I started the car. It was now or never; my best friend needed me.

It was well into the a.m. so the traffic on the roads was thankfully minimal. Wet, rainy, and dark, it almost reflected my mood.

I got to the hospital to find the police, the doctors, and the on site paramedics talking outside the reception area of the floor I was told to check into. Greeted and pitied they each told me of the accident—how it happened when a lorry had been speeding with a large load, and due to the stormy weather, it overturned on the highway. It had landed on Alcide's Land Rover once it stopped rolling. They told me of their injuries, that all attempts were made to resuscitate them. Hadley had died at the scene, broken neck, broken back…a number of other injuries. Alcide had held on until they got to the hospital, they said he was awake, talking, lucid all of it. He'd even had the frame of mind to give them his lawyers name, mine and Eric's as a contact. I wasn't surprised; he was a big guy, more than capable of holding his own. Sadly, due to internal bleeding and complications with a particularly bad skull fracture that they thought they had a handle on, he couldn't hold on any longer, and passed away a half hour later.

As I stood there stunned listening to the cop tell me the story, I saw him burst through the double doors. He was drenched from the rain, dishevelled and sporting a bad case of bed head. He looked as tired and as worried as I felt, so I buried my reflexive hostility for him and decided that he had as much right as anyone to be there.

He and Alcide, according to Hadley, had been like brothers. College roommates and partners in crime all the way. How? I never understood. Alcide was kind, warm, jovial and loving. Eric….he was none of those things. They had made the mistake in judgment to try and set us up on a blind date a few years prior, and it was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish. I'd just broken up with my boyfriend Quinn—another disaster but of a different kind—and Hadley was a fan of the 'to get over one man, get under another' mantra. She suggested a blind date with this guy she and Al both swore by. They said he was sweet, kind, funny, and sarcastic but nice. He owned his own business, a chain of businesses actually, so he had goals and independence; all of that plus, he was good looking. They sold him well. I ticked all my boxes, and even some boxes I didn't even know I had. That was until I met him. And while he was hot, he was tall and brooding and had these stunning blue eyes…he was also a complete and utter dick. I hated him on principle. He didn't seem interested in talking to me or listening to me. My confidence in conversing with men was already at an all time low, and having tall blond and douche-tastic all but ignore me in favor of staring at my breasts for an hour and a half…well, it wasn't the green light I was particularly looking for. Once he'd confessed that he didn't really want to be there, that it was a 'favor' to Alcide… I saw red. And when I got mad, I got real talkative. I told him exactly what I thought of what he could do with his 'favor'. And I may have also told him what he could do instead of staring at my breasts because he was never going to get anywhere near them. He of course, was a sore loser, and retaliated with comments on how he wasn't in fact fascinated with my breasts, but wondering if 'Icy the Snow Bitch had nipples made of glass like the rest of her?' That was the last straw; I stormed over to the bar, ordered the most expensive bottle of champagne and billed it to our table. If Icy the Snow Bitch was going to go home alone, at least she'd have the eight hundred dollar bottle of champagne to keep her company. Well, that and the satisfaction of knowing he paid for it.

_Jackass. _

All thoughts of his douchebaggery were put aside for the moment, as the lawyer told us the strangest thing I'd ever heard.

We'd inherited a baby. A living breathing, co-dependent baby. Al and Had's baby. Their world. And they left her to US? Needless to say, I was as baffled as he looked. Well, he looked like he might puke too, but there was definite wonderment in there somewhere. Why would they do that? Why would they pick us of all the people in their world? So many thoughts were spinning through my head all at once and I couldn't get a hold of myself when the doctor told us that we'd have to go and identify the bodies.

Bodies.

That's all that was left now. Not their souls, not their smiles or the light behind their eyes. No, just their cold bodies and nothing more. I felt myself begin to break down, when something most unexpected happened. Eric reached down and took my hand in his. He squeezed it once before leading me behind the doctor to where I assumed the morgue would be. His gesture was startling, mainly because I wasn't sure if he was capable of human contact that didn't involve a naked slut.

But he did. He took and held my hand the whole way through. Seeing them laying there unlocked all the tears I'd been fighting hard with myself to contain. But I couldn't hold them in any longer. There they were, grey and lifeless, with cuts and stitches all over their beautiful faces. I sobbed over my cousin holding her cold hand in my free one. I felt like this wasn't happening to me, it felt like I was on the roof looking down at this other girl. This other girl who just lost her best friend; who just received the biggest responsibility of her life; who didn't have a fucking clue how to deal with any of it.

Next to that girl stood a man—a man who was doing his best to wear his poker face—but for the first time, I saw the cracks as he let his tears fall too. I'd forgotten, in losing my best friends, he'd lost his too.

I was shocked to realize Northman was human after all.

**EPOV:**

I'd left Sookie talking to one of the nurses as the doctor handed me a box, in the box was whatever my friends had on them as 'possessions' at the time of the accident. There were keys, a purse, a wallet, and a few things they'd managed to extract from the car wreck, a soiled baby blanket and a birthday card with a big One on it.

_One._

Today was Jessica's first birthday. I closed my eyes at the next rush of pain to hit me in the gut. They were out celebrating their baby's birthday when some asshole decided to speed on a flooding road and kill my friends. I felt the anger bubble up inside me, all I wanted to do was hit something, or someone until that anger subsided. Accident, how could you accidentally kill two people, just wipe out two whole lives just in a blink of an eye, leaving a little baby girl orphaned.

Except, she wasn't orphaned, according to Alcide, I was to become her father.

I was a lot of things, and a father, to anything, I was not. I couldn't even handle a dog! Never mind raising a baby.

No, it was insane, it could not happen. It would not happen. There had to be a better choice, a better choice than me and _her._

I could see that she was not handling this very well at all, and in all honesty I was not really sure what I was feeling or not feeling either. All I knew was she asked to see the baby, but was informed that the foster family had her for the night and the best thing everyone could do was to go home and try and get some rest.

She was stubborn. Even beat on her feet, she still stood her ground with pushy nurses, but eventually gave in and took a seat, on the hard plastic chairs her hands buried in her hair instantly.

" I should go to the house, check on things." She offered.

"I'll…I'll go with you, if you want?"

She looked me in the eye, maybe for the second time that night.

"No, it's fine I can handle it by myself, and I'm sure you were interrupted from something that you should maybe be getting back to anyway, so I'll just go alone."

"Can you just NOT?" Frustration and sheer tiredness took me over, I was in no mood for her games."Not _what_?"

"Be so fucking stubborn for five minutes, maybe I wanted to go to the house, maybe I wanted to check on things, maybe-"

"Alright. Fine. I'm too tired to argue with you now. You have the keys?"

"_Yes."_

"Fine, meet me there in twenty."

With that she got up, and walked away. I watched her walk to the elevators, wrapping her cardigan around her again, fixing her hair back from her face. I waited for a few seconds before I followed. She didn't want to talk to me, or anyone else, and that was fine, hell that was easy to deal with, but I just knew that from here on out nothing was ever going to be easy again.

**A/N : Thoughts? *Bites nails***


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : Hey guys! Thank you so so much for all the reviews, adds, pm's etc, it was awesome to know what you thought of the first chapter! So without further ado, here's chapter two! :D **

**SPOV:**

When I got to the house, Eric was already there sitting in front of me in his blood red corvette, just waiting.

I gave myself a healthy pep talk on the short drive over to their house. Life was for living; all sorts of horrible things happened to good people every day; this would be just another obstacle to overcome; this too shall pass—all of it I repeated, and then some.

I couldn't focus on my dead cousin or her dead husband right now. They had a very much living breathing dependant baby girl that needed me. And they'd known she would need me.

Why they thought she'd need _him_, is beyond me… But again, people made crazy choices every day. This was one of theirs.

Their house in Shreveport was, for lack of a better word, huge.

Alcide graduated top of his class to go on to become one of the most promising young defense attorneys in the state, which translated into: he was loaded and then some. My cousin wasn't too shabby either. She'd become a pediatric nurse and while it didn't afford her the same income as Alcide, she was just as rich in experiences by the end of the day. She'd loved kids; she'd wanted a whole house full of them, Al too. He'd been an only child and had always sworn his own kids wouldn't grow up alone.

My heart clenched again. His kid _would_ be growing up alone, except now she'd be growing up without any brothers or sisters, or even a mother and father.

Pushing those thoughts out of my head I got out of the car. The rain had started to die down and for that I was thankful. What was going on with the freak hail showers in the middle of May? I'd never understand.

He stood silently by the engine of his flashy car, motioning a 'ladies first' with his hands, we walked up the darkened path together. He dug the keys from his pocket and snapped open the first door by turning the knob once.

Darkness is what greeted us, their large hallway illuminated only by the small green light of the security system.

"Shit, I don't know the code!"

Eric pursed his lips together once before going over and hitting a few digits. It worked first try.

"How did you-"

"College basketball, his gym locker combo. He used it for everything since."

With that he flipped one switch on the wall and several lights came on.

The first thing you noticed is the vast size of the house. Alcide had said he'd fill it with kids if Hadley would let him. They wanted a big family, so they bought a big—too big—house that now just looked and felt cold and empty.

Eric and I walked from the hallway into the kitchen; he flipped on some lights as I took a seat at the giant island. It was just after three a.m., but I felt like I'd been awake for days. My head was spinning, my eyes hurt from crying and I just needed a cuddle.

That was clearly the last thing I was ever getting with my present company. He opened the fridge and capped a beer, before offering me one, which I declined. I felt too sick to drink.

He stood and I sat in silence for a few minutes before he spoke.

"We can't do this. That's the bottom line. We just… can't." He stated staring at the pictures of them on the fridge.

"I agree."

"You do?"

"Of course, I don't know what they were thinking … But they did, and since I'm the only family that she could really depend on, I get why she picked me in theory but… It's nuts. And you? You and me together raising her? That's just the most ridiculous idea! Hardly a peaceful and loving environment for their kid."

He smiled. "Yeah that's what I thought too, I mean… we can't be in the same room together without some kind of hostility, raising a kid? It's just not possible."

"I agree completely. I have no idea why Alcide involved you, but you're off the hook." Nice normal tone used, somehow managed to keep my hate for him under control. Doing good Stackhouse.

"Excuse me?" He raised a brow at me, still leaning against the fridge like he owned the place. Which, I guess now he technically did.

"You're off the hook. You don't have to do this, any of this. I'll step up and do it."

He stared at me.

"Alone? By yourself? You're just gonna take on someone else's kid, someone else's house? All on your own?"

I nodded, not really getting how this was hard for him to understand.

"If CPS let's me, then why not?"

"Why not?" He raised his voice. "Why…? Look alright I get it, you're a hard ass, and that's fine, but you cannot do this by yourself, it's not… not…"

"Not what? Not right? Not right for a woman to raise a kid on her own? News flash, millions of women do it every day, I'll be fine."

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, you're not letting me off the hook here. It's not only you who's been shouldered with this responsibility, and I do _not _crap out on my responsibilities."

"Riiight, you just crap out on dates."

Oops, couldn't help it I guess.

He swallowed his beer, his face switching from thoughtful to sarcastic in a second.

"Only the dates where the chick is practically an iceberg. It gets a little chilly, what can I say."

Bastard.

"In fact, last time I saw you, you were doing an amazing impersonation of an _Ice Queen_, and stiffing me for eight hundred dollars."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Well, I felt the need to _stiff _you for something, and it certainly wasn't going to be something fun… It was delicious by the way."

"Excuse me?"

"The champagne, that you paid for, it was magnificent. Thank you."

He pressed his lips together in a pout.

"Glad you enjoyed it; at least one of us got something out of it."

"Mmmhmm."

He rolled his eyes at me before dumping his beer in the trash.

"So what now, Sookie?"

Strike me down, but I shouldn't have liked the way he said my name, but damn it, I did.

"I don't know, we get to pick her up tomorrow morning at nine a.m., the lawyer is coming here to look things over and talk to us some more, then… I don't know."

"Alright, I'm going to be honest. I don't _want_ this life, I don't _want _a kid, I don't want a huge ass house that's not mine, I never asked for any of this―"

"And you think I did? I―"

"Let me finish."

I shut up.

"I don't want these things, and shit, I spend enough on condoms that I could own a share in Trojan for fucks sake, and enough time worrying about knocking some chick up, to go now and end up saddled with a baby anyway? It's not _fair_. But, Alcide is… was my friend, my best friend, outside of Pam, he was the only other person that I―"

His voice cracked a little and it shocked me.

"Fuck! Look, basically they had their reasons for doing and signing and saying that this is what happens and none of us asked for this shit to happen, so fine, whatever. I'm in."

"You sound _so_ thrilled."

He glared at me.

"You can't honestly tell me this is how you imagined your life right now? Stuck with a house and a kid with some asshole you hate? It's not exactly the _ideal _situation."

"No it's not. But then again neither is having my cousin die with her husband before either of them hit thirty-five."

He nodded.

"Yeah. Look, you should try and maybe get some sleep."

"No, I should make some calls… What about you?" I asked, not really sure where the concern came from.

"I'll be fine. I'm used to being up late so this is normal hours for me. And don't worry about calling everyone, I'll find their address book and do it in the morning. No sense in waking the world when we don't have to right?"

Right, he ran a bar.

"Okay, yeah that's true… I mean I already left my brother a message on his cell, but God knows where he's at tonight…" I sighed. I never could rely on Jason. "I guess I'll crash in one of the guest rooms."

I excused myself and made my way up the large staircase to the bedroom. I walked past their bedroom, not ready to go inside there yet. Next to their room was Jessica's room—a baby wonderland—done to Hadley's idea of perfection for her baby girl. Not over done in pink like I'd worried she'd do, but softer lilac and whites. It was beautiful. I felt my tears threaten to spill on me again, but exhaustion just took me over and I sat on the overstuffed nursing chair, put my feet up on the foot stool and before I knew it I was out cold.

**EPOV: **

I was glad she went to bed when she did, mainly because I couldn't take the debating any more. She looked like shit; I felt like shit, and I'm pretty sure she felt like the shit she looked like. We both needed some alone time. I was pretty much nocturnal from years of running my bar so being up this late—or early however you look at it—didn't bother me. What bothered me was her, her sheer stubborn determination to take things on alone. Who the hell does that? Agrees to be a single parent when there was an out option? She was crazy. Or maybe she was right? I just felt sick about the whole thing. We had a few hours to digest everything before that innocent baby girl was handed into our hands—forever.

I was convinced Alcide and Hadley had done drugs before they'd signed that damn will. I wasn't cut out to be someone's father, or father figure, or whatever the fuck I was meant to be now. The baby, yeah I knew her. I'd visited Al enough to be familiar with the kid, but only barely. Hadley was always with her, and Alcide and I would break off and watch sports or go golfing or running together. I was never around babies. I didn't know what to do or how to do it and suddenly I get hours to adjust to the idea of 'Hey! By the way your best friend and his wife just died and here's their kid. Bye.'

I poured myself a whiskey neat. I needed it.

I never backed out on my responsibilities. Ever. It wasn't how I was raised, and I'd be damned if I was going to do it now. I knew that if I didn't, or Sookie didn't that they'd look into another family member to do it. That, or she'd be left in some kids home somewhere till someone came and adopted her.

And that just wasn't right.

She deserved to grow up in the home her mom and dad had made for her…and the only other family options on Alcide's side were his eighty-year old Aunt Maud on his mother's side. Being an only child of older parents, he was kind of screwed. They'd died and he was alone. All his cousins were either in Europe, or there was that one cousin of his that lived in New York, but last he told me of her she was doing soft core porn… So yeah, she was out.

On Hadley's side there really only were two people.

Sookie, or Sookie's brother. And from what I knew from stories Alcide had told me, he was a few fries short of a happy meal upstairs. Alcide described him as a "dumber version of you, thinks with his dick… only unlike you, his upstairs brain is pretty dormant."

So… He was out.

Really, Sookie and I were the only options for the kid.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Nine a.m. came quickly. I'd managed maybe two hours sleep on the couch—if that. I got up at eight and brewed the strongest pot of coffee I could before taking a quick shower. The shower was wet and the bathroom misty when I went in—alerting me to Sookie's prior use of the bathroom—meaning she'd been up for a while.

My mind was reeling with everything that definitely _would happen_ today, and things that _might happen_ today. I showered in record time, which was pointless since I was changing back into my previously worn clothes. I still felt gross.

Sookie, however, looked a lot better. Her hair was dried and shiny even though she'd stuck it up in a messy bun. She'd been applying lip gloss in a mirror from her purse when I entered the kitchen.

"Morning." She said quietly taking her mug from the island. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Welcome." Yeah, I really wasn't a morning person.

She smiled. "Not a morning person, huh?"

I shook my head no. I was trying to wake myself up, and while looking at her breasts in that tank top was fun, it wasn't helping the situation of her yapping.

"I get that. My brother is a total night owl too. I'm the annoying perky one at seven a.m."_Awesome._

"You want something to eat?"

"No, I'm good thanks." I slugged my coffee as fast as I could without burning off my tongue.

"Should we take your car or mine? I think mine's better, or maybe we should take Hadley's? Or maybe just get the baby seat and bring it in my car? Or maybe―"

"Sookie. Chill."

"I… I'm sorry. I'm just―"

"Nervous? Yeah, I know. I am too, but you need to relax a little, and maybe tone down the decibel. I'm not functioning on all cylinders right now."

After her ranting session and my second cup of coffee we decided on taking the baby seat from Hadley's Rover in the garage and sticking it in Sookie's little beat up Nova. How she thought that was safer than a range rover, I'll never understand. I grabbed the address book from Alcide's office and began to make some calls to friends of theirs that I knew said they'd call the friends of theirs that I didn't know. Everyone was shocked and saddened.

At that point I think I was starting to feel numb to it all. A few dozen phone calls later, we were heading into the CPS offices, where the foster parents would be meeting us. Alcide's lawyer was called in, and I called my lawyer to act on my behalf, as well as Sookie's, in this matter. Sookie was nervous, her hands were shaking and she really never shut up the whole way there. I'd need to find a trick to tone her out, and soon.

We were greeted by our social worker, a seemingly sweet woman named Megan. She was taller than Sookie, with shoulder length highlighted hair, and big expressive eyes that danced when she talked. She was very animated too—hand gesturing here and there as she explained the procedures to us alone at first. She wasn't overly formal or overly friendly at first. I liked that.

"Now I know this situation is highly unusual—two single people—you're not a couple is that correct?" She looked at her file.

"No." I responded.

"Hell no!" She responded. She was just _so_ mature.

"I see." Megan looked at me and smiled. Oh now was so not the time to flirt, but I couldn't help it.

"No Megan, we're definitely not seeing each other. I'm single, she's single. Its just that circumstances are as you say, unusual. But I do date. That's not wrong, is it?" I may have batted my eyelashes, so sue me.

She blushed, Sookie scoffed.

"N-no, of course it's not _wrong_. It's perfectly… healthy." She coughed and looked at her file again. "However, with circumstances as unique as these, should you agree to take custody of Jessica by signing all the necessary paperwork, I will be your case worker. And, because of the situation, we want to ensure that Jessica is going to the best home and parents that we can give her. Do you understand?"

Sookie and I both responded with a confident, "Yes."

"Good. Talk with your lawyer, he'll advise you on what to do. Jessica is in the other room and if all goes to plan, I can bring you guys in to meet with her in a few minutes?"

Both lawyers came in. There were negotiations and other legal mumbo-jumbo, but in a matter of minutes Sookie and I had signed an agreement to take custody of Jessica—the estate left by Alcide and Hadley—and changed our lives forever.

I'd be needing a big drink after all this.

"The estate, what exactly is that?" Sookie asked.

Alcide's lawyer—and a friend of his—we'd found out they worked in the same office building. Alcide had done well for himself, carving out a career quickly as one of the best lawyers in the whole state of Louisiana. So of course, "Mr. Hermes Briefcase" was his 'friend'. He told us the estate in total did amount to a sizeable sum, but because they had a mortgage on that huge ass house of theirs, most of it went to paying that off. And whatever was left over was for Jessica's college fund.

Interesting. We also inherited any and all bills from the estate, which thankfully there were very few of, just a car and a loan that was almost paid in full. It wouldn't have been an issue.

After we signed everything that needed signing, we all shook hands and the suits left. Just like that, we'd gotten a baby. We'd signed an agreement for her like a car. Sometimes the world confused me.

I heard Sookie take several deep breaths as Megan, who insisted I call her Meg, led us into the other room. A playroom filled with toys, other kids, a few parents and case workers.

I saw her before they brought her over to us. She was sitting in a circle of other kids playing happily with some building blocks, a little pink dress and white shoes with a ribbon in her barely there hair.

We met the foster parents and made awkward conversation as Meg brought Jessica to us. Sookie took her first, cuddling her closely and kissing her cheeks, whispering to her how she was going to be okay, that Aunt Sookie was there and that she was safe now. She was a baby and I doubt she understood, but to Sookie, I guess the gesture was more for comforting herself than it was Jessica. They gave us a small bag of her things, some diapers, a bottle, and wipes. Then they said we could take her home.

Home.

Where was home? My place was home for me, Sookie's place was home for her, but their place was home for Jessica.

So, I guess that's where we were going.

Meg met with us in the hallway to give us, well… me, her card, and to ensure that if we had any questions to call her, about anything.

Subtle.

Sookie was a channeling the ice queen I knew so well as we made our way to the parking lot. She focused entirely on Jessica, ignoring me completely.

Getting her into the car was a disaster. The car seat was designed by NASA. Honestly, how the hell did those things work? So many straps all wired up to one little claspy thing. I just did _not _get it.

I tried and tried but with Sookie glaring at me in the rear view mirror, threatening to 'come back there and do it herself' I had to give up. So I tied the kid in, literally tied her with the straps, hoping Sookie wouldn't noticed, and offered to sit in the backseat with her.

She kept staring at me, which ordinarily would freak me out, but she was just so innocent and sweet that I was awed. Her big blue eyes, reminiscent of Hadley, and come to think of it, Sookie's, looking up at me, her pacifier bobbing in and out of her little mouth, tiny hand clasping on to my fingers.

"Hey Jess, you hungry? Huh? You hungry? Can you _say _hungry?" I offered, and she just continued to stare. Huh… kids, they didn't do a whole lot, did they?

"Hun-guh-rey"

Sookie giggled from the front seat.

"You might have better luck with a response if you took the pacifier out."

Oh. Duh.

I pulled it out gently and apparently that equals slapping her upside the head since the scream she gave me in return almost busted my ear drums.

Note to self: Never take that shit out. Ever.

"I'msorryi'msorryi'msorry, baby, here baby, I'm sorry." I went to give it back but apparently she was having none of my shit. I'd tainted her sucky thing.

"How do I make it stop?"

"I don't know give it back!"

"I DID, she doesn't want it now!"

"Try giving her the bottle?"

I tried and no dice. Shit, I'd broken the kid and we hadn't even had her a full hour.

Sookie started calling Jessica's name from the front seat before she broke into a verse of _Row Your Boat_.

I looked between the singing lunatic in the front seat and the sobbing baby in the back. I was in hell.

"Row row row your boat gently down the stream… ROW YOUR BOAT, ERIC!" I got threatening eyes in the mirror again and I agreed to join in, rowing the damn boat like she asked. It didn't work and Jessica was turning redder with each passing minute.

Jesus, what did I do!

Sookie switched on the radio in attempts to either drown her out or shut her up. Both worked.

_Thank you, Katy Perry. _

Sookie began to sing along and Jessica seemed to respond to the music. Her cries lessened to smaller whimpers to suddenly having her fists in her mouth with her little leg bopping up and down on the seat.

"… it felt so wrong, it felt so right… don't mean I'm in love to-night." Sookie sang, off key of course, but she was smiling at me through the mirror, and I don't know why but I smiled back.

Mission accomplished.

I'd texted Pam the night before just before I'd gotten to the hospital, and with everything that had happened since, I hadn't had the chance to call her back. I called in from the back of the car as Sookie pulled up to my place. We figured we should at least get some things from both our places since going home alone anytime soon wasn't going to be an option.

"This is Pam."

"Hey."

"Eric, thank God. What happened was the accident bad?"

"They're dead, Pam."

I heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Oh Eric, I'm so sorry. I know Alcide was―"

"It's fine. I mean no, it's not fine, but it's fine you know? I'm dealing. But there's something else."

"What?"

"They left me custody of the baby."

She was silent on the other end.

"Pam?"

"I… What? Where they high?"

"I know, believe me." I saw Sookie look at me through the mirror again, obviously trying to make it look like she wasn't listening in. Not that I gave a damn if she listened or not.

"Well, not just me. Hadley's cousin, Sookie, too."

"Ice Queen? Ohhh Eric you're so fucked right now."

"I know. But we're dealing."

"You're actually agreeing to this madness?"

"I am."

"Why? Eric this is huge! You can't just take on a kid with some bitch ass woman. What the fuck?"

"_Pam."_

"I'm sorry, but I think it's crazy."

"It is crazy, but it's not like any of us expected this you know? Look, we're at my place and I'm going to pack a bag and try to make funeral arrangements. Come by Alcide's after your shift okay? We'll talk then."

She agreed and I hung up just as Sookie pulled into the parking lot of my building.

I untied Jessica when I got out of the car, reaching into the backseat to take her in my arms. I was waiting for her to start crying again, but she just looked at me, her tiny hands grabbing onto my chin.

Sookie folded her arms and motioned to get back into the car.

"I'll just… wait here."

"No, it's fine. Come with me if you'd like? This is a good neighborhood, but I can't say the same for people who hang out in parking lots."

"Oh." She looked out the window of her car again, looking nervous. "Okay. If you… insist."She was scared of being alone in the lot, not that I blame her. That place was creepy as hell, even during the day.

"Sure, come on."

"Hey, Jess you wanna see my place? Will we go see my place, huh?"

She just bubbled spit at me. I'd take that as a yes.

Sookie, Jessica and I got into the elevator together. Sookie was unusually silent.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just… I'm just thinking that's all."

"Well, don't think too hard you might break something in there."

She glared at me. She was just too easy to wind up. It was awesome.

We stepped inside and suddenly my apartment felt like another world.

I threw my keys down on the coffee table, leaving Jessica on the couch. She was on her feet in an instant, but Sookie went to her as she started gliding along the couch holding onto the cushions before falling on her little butt and looking around.

"I'll just throw some stuff in a bag."

I saw Sookie looking around, more than likely judging my place. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, my place being under her judging eye. Not that I gave a damn what she thought but… still.

I walked into my room and was instantly hit by the scent of sex. Right. Ginger.

Christ, it had been a matter of hours and already that had felt like a lifetime ago. I opened my blinds, and popped open a window just as Sookie came into the room.

"_Oh!_" She was repelled. Ah… sex smell. "Jesus Eric what did you do? Hold an orgy?" Her face in scrunched up disgust was annoyingly judgmental.

"So, what if I did?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I just wanted to ask, I'm going to order us some lunch to pick up when we stop at my place. What do you feel like?"

"Where are you ordering from?"

"Uh, my restaurant."

Shit, that's right I'd almost forgotten. She ran that big fancy place on the other side of town from my bar.

"You own that place?"

"No… I just run it." She looked uncomfortable.

"I hear it's doing well."

She nodded shifting Jessica up in her arms as she was slipping a little.

"It is. It wasn't before I came on board, but we're good now, thankfully. Do you want something or…"

"Well, maybe we could stop by? We've got to run to the funeral home and make arrangements. So maybe we could do it there, while we get something to eat?"

She nodded. "Sure."

Nice, civilized. Then she looked at my floor.

Condom.

God, I was a gross bastard; but in fairness, I had left in a bit of a hurry.

"Classy, Northman." She looked at me, disgusted, before turning on her heel and leaving. I even heard the front door shut.

And we're back… just when I think we can be civil to each other her sarcasm comes out to play. No, it wasn't exactly classy; yes, she's right, but she doesn't always have to be such a bitch about it.

Or maybe she does. Oh God, Pam was right. I am so fucked right now, and not in the fun need of a condom sense either.

_Fuck._

**A/N: Remember, reviews are loved! :D **


	3. Chapter 3

SPOV:

It was just disgusting, he was disgusting. He was an embarrassment to the male race, that's what he was. No... worse. He was a man whore.

Christ, I'd just agreed to raise a baby with a man whore. What was I thinking? His apartment was exactly what I expected, ultra modern, sleek and cold - just like him. There were very few personal pictures around the place I noticed. He was big on art, nice tasteful abstract pieces mostly, but very little on the personal touches. It felt like a show house more than a lived in home.

Jessica seemed to get over her wailing fit nicely. She was finding bouncing up and down on Eric's couch very entertaining. When I remembered that she might have been hungry, I wanted to see if maybe Eric was too. I knew I was starving having not eaten anything since the day before.

Walking into his bedroom was a bold move, and one I regretted instantly. Being greeted by the smell of sex and … cheap perfume on an empty stomach wasn't pleasant. He was shoving some t-shirts into a suitcase, and had a suit-cover lying on the bed.

Right, a suit, because there would be a funeral. I held on to Jessica tighter as I judged him and his man whoring ways before I made a swift exit.

Like I said, disgusting.

We set off for the other side of Shreveport to my restaurant silently, this time he was in the front seat beside me.

"What crawled up your ass?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing. Right. Is it because of my place? Did it not meet the Ice Queen's standards?"

I flashed him a glare, keeping my eyes on the road. Jessica was sitting quietly, her pacifier firmly planted in her mouth this time, playing with a set of keys Eric gave her to amuse herself with.

"Stop calling me that."

"Then stop _acting_ like that."

"Acting like what? This is me, this is who I am."

"Yeah well, that..." I guessed he meant the state of his place, more to the point, his bedroom. "Is who I am, and if you have an issue with that, then that's your deal."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning just that, I'm doing this for Alcide and Hadley, no one else, and just because I'm stuck with a kid doesn't mean I'm stuck full stop. My life is still my own. Yours too. None of that has to change, it just has to be… readjusted."

I was silent, I really didn't want to have that conversation with him right there in the car on a busy lane-way. We rode in silence for the twenty minutes it took us to get across town to the restaurant. I got Jessica out of the baby seat and by that time she was starting to get fussy. I only hoped Lafayette could give me something simple and soft for her to eat.

Walking into the restaurant I was immediately group hugged by both Tara and Amelia. Both of them sprouting questions—how was I, how was the baby, how was I dealing, who the guy staring at us was…?

"I'm fine, tired and starving, but fine. She's fine, a little restless but that's to be expected, and this…Well, this is Eric Northman. Eric, these are my friends, Tara Thornton and Amelia Broadway."

They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries as I dragged over a high chair with one arm, holding Jess in the other. She went in without a fuss thankfully, still playing away with Eric's huge ass bundle of keys. I guess she liked them because they were shiny and made noise. I'd keep that in mind.

"Wait, Northman… Not…" Tara turned to look at me her eyes widening. "This is Asshole?"

"Uhh Tara, not now okay?"

"You're the guy… the date guy. Oh. Wow. This is fucked up!"

Eric smiled awkwardly before admitting. "Yep, I'm Asshole date guy, nice to meet you, can we have some menus here please?" His pleasant demeanor instantly gone.

Nice Tara.

"Sook, can we talk to you for a second?" She asked pushing me towards the kitchen, Amelia in tow. We left Eric sitting at the booth with the baby.

"What are you doin' here with him!" Tara whispered hashly.

I took a deep breath before I went to explain, changing my mind mid-sentence. "Hold on, where is Lafayette. I' m not repeating this speech three times. Go get him."

She hollered into the kitchen and he came outside the door, his cloth on his shoulder.

"WUT."

"Sookie has shit to say, listen up."

He offered me a hug first and foremost, then I began to tell them exactly what had happened. All about the accident and the will, and how Eric and I were meant to look after Jessica and the house and all their assets. My three friends stood mouths agape, not that I blamed them.

"But that's the asshole that you tricked for that champagne right? He's still an asshole from the looks of things." Tara commented.

"Yeah but a hot one… Damn, look at those shoulders though… They're nice." Ames added peeking around the corner again. "And his neck? Damn girl, it's lick-able. He's an asshole, but he's a pretty asshole."

"And WHAT has that to do with his baby raising skills? Huh? Amelia, really, stop being such a slut for dick."

"I am not a slut! I'm just… pointing out the obvious here."

"Look guys, really that's the least of my worries right now." I looked around the corner to see Eric on the phone, deep in conversation as one of the busboys brought him his water. "We have so much to do, there has to be a funeral, I don't know what I'm going to do about my place, I can't even think straight right now. So yes, he's a pretty asshole, but right now he's the only other asshole that knows what's happening here. So, we're gonna get something to eat. I'm going to go to my place and pack some things and I don't know what to do from there." I was starting to freak out again. Lafayette butted in as usual with his sage advise.

"Okay baby girl, listen. I'mma cook for you and that tall glass of fine you got over there, and make that baby something good too. You're gonna sit, relax and eat for an hour. You's also gonna have some wine."

"I'm driving. I can't."

He gave me the stink eye. "Let your man drive then."

"He's not my man. BELIEVE ME, he's so not my man."

"Fine, whatever he is. Let him drive. You need to relax; you need to breathe and when you do the solutions will come."

"What are you like Yoda for single women?"

He smiled.

"My talents are endless baby girl, you know that."

He motioned for his 'two bitches' to come and leave me alone for awhile and actually "do their jobs." To anyone else that may seem degrading and harsh, but to everyone Lafayette had a love for, he called us bitches. And he loved his bitches.

This bitch swallowed whatever panic I'd been feeling and made my way back to the table. Eric had just hung up the phone.

"What was that, another hot date?"

He glared at me. "No, smartass! I was calling the funeral home if you must know. The hospital has released the bod—released Hadley and Alcide, and the funeral home is making the arrangements now. All we have to do is tell people the time and the place for the service, and I guess hold a wake after."

"I'm sorry I assumed… I…God, I'm not usually this much of a bitch I swear."

"I just bring it out in you, huh?" He grinned, still sarcastic.

"Yeah you do, it's annoying as hell."

We ordered and while we were waiting Lafayette brought me a little bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy for Jessica with pureed carrots and a pint of warmed milk that I transferred into her bottle before I fed her. The potatoes went down like a charm right before she almost pulled her "uhhhh" out of my hand. She hadn't mastered her words yet, so it seemed most things were an "uhhh" for now.

Eric and I ate in comparative silence—the only sounds from our table were us breathing, chewing and the sucking sound of Jessica at her bottle. I caved and had one glass of wine to attempt to chill me out and by the time we were done, Jessica was just drifting off to sleep. I guess one p.m. was as good a time as any for a nap.

I lifted the check to go pay, but Eric wasn't having it. I argued that I stiffed him for eight hundred dollars the last time we shared a meal, and that I owed him. Then he handed it right over. Of course, when I went to the bar to pay Amelia waved it off.

"Sook, you're my boss. I'm not charging my grieving boss for food. And besides, Lafayette said he isn't taking your money for his cookin'. So just go."

"Ames…"

"Nuh uh, go."

I thanked her and made my way back to the table. Eric had already scooped a sleeping Jessica out of the high chair and into the blanket in his arms.

"Ready?" He asked holding this little bundle of pink to his shoulder.

"Yeah, let's go."

Since I'd had a glass of wine, Eric insisted he "drive that piece of crap before I got us both killed," a comment that he hadn't thought through, given our current circumstances. We rode to my place in awkward silence. And since we didn't even have the noise of Jessica to filter it, it became stifling.

Speaking of stifling, the heat had begun to rise rapidly since we left The Crown.

"I'll wait here." He offered nodding to the sleeping madamoiselle in the back seat. Unlike Eric, my parking was outside and very much in the heat, and I didn't know how long I'd be.

"No, you can't sit out here with her in the car, not in this heat. It's dangerous."

"Can't you just slam some shit in a bag and go?"

"I'm a woman, what does that tell you?"

He rolled his eyes and angled himself out of my car, a car that was just not built for a man with legs as long as his. He stretched himself out, his white t-shirt riding up a little too much exposing a quick glance of what looked like a very tanned and toned tummy.

Not that I was looking or anything.

He suddenly became gentle when he managed to scoop the baby up out of her seat and into his arms without waking her. Hmm, maybe he had skills other than just epic asshole-itious after all.

We rode the elevator to the third floor, apartment three one four.

My apartment was nothing like Eric's. The only place that was white was the kitchen, everywhere else I'd done with warm comforting colors, soft fabrics and big over stuffed furniture. Thankfully, Hadley shared my interior design tastes and though her house was large, in my opinion too large, it felt warm.

Eric made it known that he was being nosy looking around my walls—family, friends, holiday pictures hung up—unlike at his place. He was looking at the books on my shelves and coffee table. I watched him saunter around my living room like he'd been there a hundred times before.

"You about through giving it the once over?"

"Just about, I might start on the bedroom next. Is that where the magic happens?" He teased me.

"You are so gross you know that?"

"And you are so easy to wind up you know that?" He smirked. "Besides I'm willing to bet the ice chamber doesn't get much action. No guy is willing to risk freezing his dick off… No matter how nice your tits are."

I rolled my eyes at him and his juvenile behaviour not wanting to give him the response he was so obviously looking for. Instead, I watched as he nursed Jessica and went to look out my window, while I went to my room to pack a few suitcases.

I threw a few sundresses, sandals, underwear sets, and pyjamas all into a bag—the necessary stuff for right away would be folded. I had a black shift dress that was light and formal enough for a funeral without being sexy, even if it encased my ass like a Kardashian, according to Tara. I threw in a few pairs of heels and zipped everything up. My makeup was already sitting on my dresser so I dumped it into my vanity along with my tooth brush, and I was set.

By the time I got back to the living room, Eric was reading my subscription of Cosmo to himself. It was a funny sight to see—a six-five asshole sitting with his legs crossed against my coffee table, reading Cosmo with a baby beside him.

"If you're finished finding cures for your monthly cramps, we can go." I said wheeling my stuff to the door.

"Two suitcases? Really?"

"For now. I'm not like you. I actually have stuff that has to be folded and ironed, not just rolled in a ball and thrown into a sports bag."

He scooped Jessica up, this time I noticed she stirred a little. I was guessing thirty minutes wasn't long enough for a sufficient nap. But she'd be in her own crib soon and maybe she'd stay calm.

Maybe.

By the time we got back to the house it was well after two p.m. Eric had been on the phone to the lawyers, the funeral home and various friends he and Alcide had in common on the ride back. This time I got Jessica out of her seat, and shocker of all shocks, he got my bags. I was almost waiting for him to tell me to deal with it myself, but I guess anyone can have a freak moment of chivalry.

From what I understood of the will, Alcide and Hadley wished to be buried together in his family plot in the local cemetery. They wanted a simple service, and Hadley requested if possible, white roses as the flower of choice.

It was organized for the next day. Neither Eric nor I saw the point in delaying the inevitable, and since neither of them had family that needed to travel a great deal, the timing was fine. I called Lafayette and asked if he and the cooks could cover a buffet service for the wake, and they agreed. Tara and Amelia and Tommy from the restaurant agreed to cater. All in all, it was planned in a few hours. Two lives, laid to rest and all it took was a few hours to organize. It was a chilling thought how quickly it all went by.

I left my things in the guest room I'd slept in, Eric put Jessica in her crib and knocked the batteries out of the baby monitor by just touching it. Seriously, how I'd he walk upright?

I'd agreed to go to the market after seeing that there weren't things in the fridge that needed to be there. Necessities, like milk, coffee, an AK47 for Eric … Okay, maybe not.

EPOV:

Sookie had been out of the driveway maybe five minutes when I heard the unholy screaming coming from Jessica's baby monitor—the twin of that I couldn't SEE but I could hear. It was somewhere in the kitchen. Either way, I ran taking the stairs two at a time till I got to her room. The way she was screaming her little lungs out, you'd think someone slapped her or something.

"Hey, hey baby it's okay, it's okay!" I tried to calm her in my softest voice. No deal. She still kept on screaming. I tried the floating heads hanging over her crib, seriously? Floating heads of clowns and ducks? No wonder this kid was so messed up. Who does that?

"Okay, Jessica work with me here…" I reasoned picking her up, and swaying her in my arms, 'hushing' her as best as I could. That's when I felt it. Something... something very wrong. Something squishy and wet in her diaper region.

OH HELL NO!

"Jess, please tell me that's not what I think it is?"

She just kept on crying. Well, I guess if I was lying in an encasement of my own piss and God knows what else, I'd be crying too. It was humiliating. Poor thing.

"It's okay, Uncle Eric will get you clean… he hopes."

I looked around the room and there was everything a kid could need, and a few things she wouldn't for a few more years. I laid her down on the changing table that had everything I thought I'd need right there. Thank you for being weirdly organized Hadley. Diaper... check; white weird cream stuff... check. Wipes... check.

"Okay, here goes." I unsnapped her sleep suit, slid off her booties and found the diaper. Level one, complete.

"Okay, I know you're a girl and I'm a guy and usually there is some protocol for this, but since I'm kinda like your caregiver-diaper changer-feeder person now, I think it's okay that I do this? Right?"

More tears.

God I couldn't stand it when women cried, even tiny little women. I opened the tabs and sweet baby JESUS what the hell.

"When did you eat a bomb? Sweet Christ." I almost gagged. Thank God Sookie wasn't around to see this.

I wiped and folded any extra... waste. Gross. And dumped it in the tiny pink trashcan. I used the wipes till she was all clean, and it took like ten of them, good God. Cream, and new diaper. Only when I went to close it, it wouldn't stick and then the little sticky things kept ripping off. By the time I'd cleaned her off and found her pacifier, she was enjoying the air on her bottom while I freaked out over the tiny sticky tabs sticking to my FINGERS and not to the plastic of the diaper. What the hell!

Three diapers later and six sticky tabs used on one diaper to close it, I thought I had it, but I lifted her up and the damn thing just fell right off again. She laughed at me. Even the one-year old was laughing at my failure. This sucked.

I opened a drawer in the changing table and found a roll of duct tape stuffed up under some leaflets on breastfeeding and after birth? What the hell…? But the duct tape I thought could work.

"Okay, so this is weird but it just might work. What do you say, Jess?"

Again, with the staring.

"Okay then!" I took the tape and managed to stick two massive bits on one side and then the other. Perfection! Diaper was secure, baby was no longer crying, I no longer wanted to jump out the window.

Success!

I didn't bother to put her pants back on as it was a hot day and the kid seemed to like the air at her skin. Not that I could blame her. Even with the air conditioner on, the house was stifling, and it was too hot for her outside.

I knew Alcide's den—or his 'man den' as Hadley had called it—was to the back of the house and had the most shade from the trees outside, so I decided that Jessica and I could chill and maybe watch some TV till Sookie came back. I flipped on some football, much to Jessica's chagrin, but of course the second I hit a kids channel her little ass was crawling towards the TV like that kid from Poltergeist.

Annoying singing furry things it was then.

My cell rang telling me it was Pam.

"Hey."

"You sound like shit."

"Well, I feel like it."

"You should get some rest, Eric. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

"I know, I know, but I have a one-year old here, Sookie's gone to the market for things, and I can't leave the kid to sleep; she just woke up."

"I'm coming over."

"What about the bar?"

"It's dead right now. You know the after work buzz doesn't start till after six. Gimme fifteen minutes."

With that she hung up. So I guess she was coming over then. What was it with all these women in my life just pushing me out of decisions? I needed to start putting my foot down... but later. I was too tired to give a damn.

True to her word, Pam arrived in style as usual, fifteen minutes later. She'd brought me a twelve pack of beer and two takeout pizzas.

"How'd you get them so fast?"

"Maybe I'm magic…? Or maybe when I called you I was already picking up the food?"

I smiled.

"I had a big lunch like … not even two hours ago."

"So? You're like waste disposal and you know it. It's highly unfair how you eat like a horse and still stay skinny."

"I'm not 'skinny'."

"Fine, you're built like a brick shit house but your waist is still smaller than mine."

She waltzed into the kitchen as I carried the pizzas in one had and Jessica in the other.

"So, this is little Jessica." Pam said in a flat tone. Most people went all baby voice when they spoke to a baby, but not Pam. Pam didn't 'do' baby voice.

"Hi Jessica, I'm your Auntie Pam, I'll be the one you come to for sex advice and who'll take you on your very first trip to Chanel, okay my darling?"

Jessica tightened her grip on my t-shirt and turned her face into my neck.

Smart kid.

"Where's the Ice Queen?"

"At the store still." I set Jessica in her high chair and switched on the TV in the kitchen, she was instantly entranced.

Good to know.

But just in case I left her, her sucky thing and some rattling pink things she seemed to like as Pam and I took a seat at the island. She popped me a beer and opened the pizza.

"So what the fuck, Northman?"

"What?"

"You know what! Last time I saw you, less than twenty-four hours ago I might add, you where about to go balls deep with some trampy looking broad, now? You're covered in … what is that?"

I looked at my jeans, the baby crème. Oh.

"It's baby crème for the diapers."

"My point exactly. What the hell are you thinking? You can't do this!"

"Don't tell me what I can't do, Pam."

"Fine, but even you have to admit this is insane. Taking on a kid? And HER and this … massive yet stylish house? The house I love; I love the vibe. It's country yet cool—"

"Pam?"

"Right no, not the time for style tips. Look my point is, you don't like her, she apparently dislikes you enough to stick you with a eight hundred dollar bill…"

"You said that was elegantly evil, at the time if I recall."

"Hey, I didn't say I didn't like the girl's style, I just mean you've bitched about her ever since. She's the one with the nice rack that didn't fall for the world famous charms of the Dick of Northman, and that bothered you… now you're raising a kid together? What, are you gonna live here too?"

I was too tired for this.

"Pam."

"No, don't Pam me. You need to think about this, Eric."

"Yes okay, it would be easier if we lived in the same house, so yeah, maybe that's what happens. But for right now, I'm a little preoccupied with the idea that I have to bury one of my oldest friends and his wife tomorrow okay? So where I live doesn't really matter to me right now, because you know what? I get to live. They don't."

She looked to the floor.

"I'm sorry."

I heard the front door close and Sookie shuffled in with three bags piled in her two arms.

"Oh… hi?"

"Hi." Pam turned on her bitch mode faster than I blinked.

Sookie dumped the three bags on the counter before fixing her shirt. Was she self conscious?

"Uh, hi. I'm Sookie… And you are?"

"Pamela Ravenscroft."

I smirked, Pam wasn't about to admit any unnecessary details.

"Oh. Okay?"

Sookie looked weirded out.

"Um, Eric if you're going to be bringing … ladies of a certain… um… employment to the house, could you at least not do it when the baby is awake? Or when the neighbor's might see?"

Oh, God. I burst out laughing. Sookie though Pam was a prostitute. HA!

"What? No! Pam is my business partner."

"Is that what you call it? Look it's fine if that's your… thing but really…"

"Sookie, in my bar, she's my co-worker."

"Ahem, co-owner. And you little Miss country bumpkin, you are too funny."

Trust Pam to find funny what normal people find insulting.

"Oh. Oh crap. Shit, I'm so… so sorry. I …ugh it's been a stressful time I'm not really thinking all that straight."

"Or thinking at all." Pam added.

"Excuse me?"

"You two really think you can take care of a kid, together? You can't stand each other. This makes no sense!"

Sookie looked at me and I looked at her, and for the first time I think there was a sense of team work, because we'd both had it with people telling us what we could and couldn't do.

"Pam, is it? Okay, Pam listen cause I'm not going to say it twice. Jessica is my blood, and Hadley was my cousin, but she was like a sister to me. I wasn't around for her much this last year, and for that I 'm sorry, but she trusted me to take care of her baby girl for her, and now she's dead Pam. Dead and not coming back and won't be around for her little girl like I know she so desperately wanted to be.

And yes, Eric and I don't get along but I trust that Alcide knew him better than I do, and I trust that underneath his asshole persona is actually maybe a person—otherwise, why would they have chosen him too? I don't understand their logic with that one, I'll be honest. But I've been with him and Jess all day, and she likes him, she responds to him, and he's good with her. That's all I know, and right now, that's all I give a damn about. Because that baby girl is the last of my family that honestly, is fading fast. So I might not be able to do this very well, Eric might suck too, but goddammit I know we're gonna try. What else do people want?"

I was stunned, Pam was stunned and I think even little Jessica had her mouth open, but that might have been so the rattle could go back in there.

"Oh." Pam said looking from me to Sookie before she smiled. "Fine. Well, if that's how it's gonna be, that's how it's gonna be. Does this mean I'm Auntie Pam officially then?"

SPOV:

My hands were killing me. I'd stuffed everything I could into the three bags so I wouldn't have to do a second trip to the car. I'd taken my time strolling around the market, mainly because I needed the time away to collect my thoughts. I was scared shitless and I couldn't lie about that, but either way, all I knew is that it was Hadley's wish that I be there for her little girl. And I knew I would be. Even if Eric wouldn't feel the same way in a week, I knew I had to be there for her, despite the fear.

I carried the bags into the house and heard talking in the kitchen. I really hoped that if Eric was going to have a date over so soon they'd at least wait until nighttime, or until Jessica was in bed.

When I walked into the kitchen the talking stopped. All I heard was the TV and the sound of an excited Jessica babbling away to herself in her high chair.

She was sharply dressed, but in an elaborate way. Her heels were easily six inches, and her tank top was a size too small, showing off her breasts to the world at large. She wore wide legged pants from what I could see of her sitting, but she was in full makeup that was a little too heavy on the eyeliner and lipstick for that time of day.

So yes, it was an assumption—a wrong one that I made on a snap judgement. Eric, was, from what I knew, kind of a slut. Sluts like sex, hookers provide sex, sue me for making the common steps to that flawed thought.

Pam got on my last nerve with her version of bad assumptions, since I'd already dealt with a phone call from Jason at the store, yelling at me about Hadley and how I couldn't take care of a baby with some stranger, yadda, yadda... I offered the job to him, which promptly shut him the fuck up, so when Pam got up on her high horse, I decided to knock her down a peg or two.

It seemed that I ranted when things got too much for me. Gran always said it was like I built everything up inside for so long that somehow it just had to find a way out—and it usually did in rant form.

Eric's eyebrows were raised and he had a sly smirk on his face. Apparently I'd taken one for the team because he uncapped me a beer, handed it to me and got me a plate for my pizza. He then dragged Jessica's highchair between us at the island and chopped tiny bits of the soft pizza topping and bread into her little bowl. We sat quietly; Jessica ate the pizza happily and so did I. Pam was silently observing us, but I didn't really care. We could do this.

We _would_ do this.

A/N : Hey guys! So what did we think? Is there hope for these two yet? ;)

A couple of people have asked in reveiws/pms and such that if the fic is "exactly" like "Life as we know it", and the truth is that the film did plant the original idea of these two, a baby that isn't theirs, and this life turned upside down. Now I can promise that it won't be "exactly the same" - because how boring would that be? Why read the fic when you could just go watch the film? You know? So, no, it won't be the same. Parts of it might ring familiar since it did inspire the idea it's stuck in my brain now. If that bothers you, I'm sorry, but there isn't much I can do about that. I wanted to turn this idea into a SVM fic, and that's what I'm going to do. If that's not cool, stop reading, if it's fine, I look forward to hearing what you think of my writing!

And remember girls, make love/cupcakes/Askars pic spams … Not bitchy comments war :D


	4. Chapter 4

**EPOV:**

After her little outburst on Pam, there seemed to be a silent solidarity that dawned on Sookie and I. We'd both been getting crap from all sides about our choice—not that it was much of a choice—but for making it, we got nothing but crap from the people who thought they knew better. It seemed that she and I did share something in common after all, we were both stubborn as dirt.

We had no clue what Jessica's sleeping schedule was like, but since I offered to pop by the bar with Pam a little after seven, I knew I'd only be gone an hour or so. She insisted that she had everything under control, and I trusted her completely. But I wanted to have a final look over the schedule of the next few weeks, since I had a feeling things weren't going to run like clockwork like they had before. Sookie had waved it off like it was nothing, that she would use the time to unpack and play with the baby and maybe get a feel for the house. Seemed like a solid enough plan.

Walking into the bar just as it was starting to get busy, I was greeted by my staff. I was good to my staff, if they were good to me, which the majority of them were so it worked out well. I didn't coddle them and they didn't bullshit me, we both did our jobs and what resulted was Northman's Tavern—one of the most frequented bars in Louisiana. We'd even been given the green light to expand, and in this economic climate, that was not easily done. I realized now that an expansion on the business might have to be put on hold, at least for the time being. I didn't know where I was even living never mind what to do about my business…No, I'd decide on that later.

Pam gave me a quick update on the drink orders, the party bookings, takings and how the new waitresses were fairing. All in all, things seemed to be going fine. Taking a deep breath sitting back in my leather chair, I realized my biggest worry yesterday had just become the least of my worries today. It's funny how fast your priorities shifted, and that realization terrified me. A day. I'd been with them a day and already I was thinking of pushing my life aside so I could make sure they were okay! Didn't I JUST pep talk myself OUT of doing that?

Ugh, God... sometimes I was an idiot. I needed to flirt with something to gain back my manliness.

I made my way out to the bar, receiving a "What the hell are you still doing here ?" look from Pam who was talking to the bar guy Steve about something. I shrugged and ordered a whiskey neat from Tiffany one of the new waitresses.

Tiffany. Hmm, she'd do.

She was nice and tall for a chick—five ten in heels, tan, long brown hair, and brown eyes—the exact opposite of what I'd been around all day... Usually my tastes laid in the smaller formed ladies, but Tiffany was required to ease my boredom. I flirted with her and not very hard either. It should have disgusted me that she was willing to do, and I quote, "anything" to make sure that I was "taken care of." And really, who was I to deny her such a thing?

**SPOV:**

"It's okay, Jessica it's okay! Aunt Sook is here and she hopefully knows how to make you stop crying! It's okaaay." I'd began to singsong my words as I swayed her back and forth. But still she cried. The poor thing just wanted her Mamma I was guessing, and I, clearly wasn't her Mamma. It wasn't so much "mamma" that she cried for, more so "mim". But to me her mim was her mom and I still wasn't it.

It was just after eight thirty and at this point, Eric had been gone hours longer than he said he would. It was pissing me off. Pissing me off more than it should have. I shouldn't have cared that he was gone, or at work or just in general, not here. Hadn't I just hours before told him that I was perfectly fine doing all of this on my own full time? Yeah, what a mistake that had been. He'd been here all day and all evening and he somehow seemed to know what to do when she cried. That or she was so in awe of the big giant man that she was stunned into silence. I didn't know his trick, but he seemed to have one since she was silent all evening … till an hour after he left.

One minute she was sitting happily, throwing tiny multicoloured building blocks all over the living room floor, the next she was screaming bloody murder and hadn't really stopped since.

I'd tried everything. I'd tried feeding her, rocking her, burping her, and changing her - which was a shock.

He'd duct taped the diaper ? Oh yeah, we'd be needing to have a talk.

"Okay Jessica, baby please I am beggin' you, please just tell me what you want and I'll give it to you, please?"

More red faced tears.

God, I was a failure. I'd had her a day, and I was failing already.

I had one last trick up my sleeve.

I packed her up with a fresh bottle, her pacifier, a plush teddy and her pink blanket and strapped her into her car seat.

We were going for a little drive.

With the help of Lady Gaga, we had radio silence in a record breaking ten minutes. She'd then reached for her bottle all on her own and started sucking away at it. I lowered the radio and switched it to a classical station—I needed to mellow out and I needed no words. Twenty more minutes of driving around town had her out and sleeping soundly. I pulled back up to the house just after nine to find Eric's car in the driveway. Instantly, my calmed relieved mood was replaced with my bitchface and many thoughts of hitting him with something heavy. Not that I would and not that I really knew why, but I'd put in a really stressful scary evening with that kid, and he flaked. I needed to know that if he said he'd be back at a certain time, that well, he'd be back!

I scooped her up as gently as I could tiptoeing quietly to the back door. I saw him standing in the kitchen with a beer in hand. He looked like he was about to say something but I held a hand up to silence him, without saying a word. I crept up the stairs and managed to get her into her crib in the dark before I switched on her little night light by the door. I set the baby walkie talkie by her head knowing the other one was somehow stashed in the fruit bowl in the kitchen. Cracking the door so it wasn't fully closed, I made my way back down stairs.

Eric still stood in his spot by the fridge. I gave him the silent treatment which he instantly picked up on.

"Jesus, what now?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit. What did I do?"

"Nothing."

"Sookie, I'm tired can we not play this game tonight? Why the fuck do you look so pissed? Is Jessica

okay?"

"She's fine, she's sleeping like you saw, now. But…"

"But?"

"Eric… I… you said you'd be here an hour after you left and you weren't here. You weren't here for hours. And …"

"Was she hard to handle or something while I was gone, is that it?" He looked annoyed, and if I saw what I think I saw, he almost looked concerned. That's when I saw it. There were lipstick marks on his shirt collar.

Son of a bitch. I knew this was a shitty idea. He'd gone back on his word to get laid? Are you fucking kidding me right now? That tipped my mood over the edge. I think everything got on top of me at that moment. All of it. Deaths, babies, crying, moving, him, my own failures. All of it was just too fucking much right now. And to top it off, the reason he wasn't here on the first night of having that kid, was for sex?

Yeah it pissed me off.

I picked up the monitor before I turned to face him again.

"No, she wasn't, in fact she was perfect, we had no issues whatsoever."

"Oh, well, that's great… so, why the mood?"

"You know… I get it, you are who you are and that's … great. It's your life and what you do on your free time isn't any of my business. I get that. But you said you'd be an hour, Eric and I was depending on you to come back and help me out here—strange house, first night, new baby, bit freaked out? Ring any bells?"

He looked to the floor for a second before looking at me again.

"I'm sorry, work just got really… busy and well, I just couldn't get away."

I rolled my eyes at him. He was a lot of things which included being a man-whore and apparently a shitty liar.

_"Really?"_

"Yeah."

"Weird, because you might wanna tell the lipstick marks on your shirt collar and your undone fly that 'work got busy'."

With that I turned on my heel and marched to my bedroom, baby monitor in hand. Apparently, I couldn't rely on him like I thought I could.

Typical.

EPOV:

I woke up at six a.m. Well, woke up wasn't the right term. To wake up one must sleep, and I didn't sleep.

Jessica slept soundly. I'd kept my bedroom door open just in case she cried or needed something in the night. Sookie on the other hand, I could hear her tossing and turning two walls away. We both knew the funeral was in the morning, we both knew there'd be a wake and yet somehow both of us were, once again, at each other's throats.

Yes, I skipped out on her for sex. Well, not really sex, more of … Tiffany and her epic oral skills at work. But that wasn't the point, and I'm sure Sookie wouldn't think it any less sex just because I didn't even have to work for it. She was tired and emotional, her eyes were rimmed in red and she was pale. Her harsh words to me in the kitchen felt like a slap in the face. I'd told her I'd take my responsibilities with the kid seriously and first night, I skip out? Yeah, she had the right to be bitchy. I blamed both our highly charged states and serious lack of sleep for both our moods. I could only hope that eventually she'd get over it and maybe not hate me so much.

Then again, I hadn't been giving her much of a reason not to hate me… Both of us had started off hard on each other, and it had just stayed that way. It's not like I bitched out every woman I met, and I was sure Sookie was more than pleasant to be around, as long as you weren't me. But there was just something about the two of us that when we got together, we antagonized the shit out of both of us to reach our boiling point. It was exhausting and we were only at day one of forever.

The service was beautiful. Friends, neighbours, Alcide's old ass Aunt showed up with her friend from Texas. Sookie gave a eulogy for Hadley and I gave my best for Alcide. Sookie and I hadn't spoken a word to each other all morning, or all afternoon for that matter. The house was packed with people; Lafayette and his crew had taken over the kitchen. He shook my hand, told me I looked like hell and proceeded to wreck the kitchen with all his stuff. He made a mean cup of coffee and omelette though. Breakfast was ate with him as he unwrapped pre-prepared foods brought from the restaurant. A endless supply of sandwiches, rolls, buns, cakes, chocolate covered things all lay before me, but he insisted on making me an omelette to start my day.

Sookie's day started in silence as she came down stairs already dressed to kill at seven thirty. She'd had Jessica in her arms still in her all-in-one jammies and bed hair—with what little hair she had. She hugged her friend, thanked him and prepared a bottle for Jessica. Pure silence.

Lafayette whistled like he knew something before he blurted out, "What did you do?", to me.

Oh sure, of course, it's my fault.

"What makes you think I—"

"Dude?"

"I pissed her off."

"Well that much is obvious. What did you do?"

"It's nothing."

"It's something if Sook is giving you the silent treatment, particularly on a day like today."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I was there when her Gran passed, and that girl she's all strong and bull strength on the outside, but on the inside she's just…Well, she's just not as sturdy as she appears, and she's alone. Her asshole of a brother is lying drunk somewhere in Bon Temps, her ex-boyfriend is this asshole who treated her like shit, and then there's you. Pissing her off on the day she buries one of two remaining family members."

Nice, he could really lay the guilt on thick couldn't he? Jesus.

So I tried to make nice. I took the baby while she shook everyone's hands and told them of the wake, I stood by her side in the church, and at the burial site. But still she didn't look at or talk to me.

I felt like shit.

Burying my friends tugged at something in me—watching their coffins go into that hole—it's almost like it snapped something inside me.

We were all going to die, maybe not now or not tomorrow, but we would. And what would I have to show for my life? A bar, that I loved but it was just a bar; a handful of one-night stands from the time I was twenty three. That was almost ten years of fucking around without consequence—without settling down, without giving a woman a second chance. I looked at Sookie as she stood by the gave. She gave the appearance of a strong woman but her dark glasses hid the tears that I knew were flowing. I ached to hold her hand in that moment, to tell her, to reassure her that I wasn't the complete fuck up she though I was.

That's when _he_ arrived.

Everyone shook our hands again and offered even more apologies for our loss, cooed over Jessica of course, and returned to the house. I drifted back towards the cars with Pam, leaving Sookie by the graveside to talk with the man that had appeared out of nowhere.

He shook my hand and introduced himself as William Compton, and from the look on Sookie's face she hadn't expected to see this 'Bill'.

I wanted to stay. I wanted to see who he was and what the hell he wanted with her on today of all days. But she insisted that I take the baby out of the heat and back to the house; that it was rude to the guests. Fuck the guests. They were just there for the free food. My nosiness almost got the better of me when Pam ushered me into her Escalade.

"She's a big girl. I'm sure she'll be fine." She said, adjusting her Chanel glasses to the top of her head.

"I know that. I just don't like him."

"You said two words to the guy. How is it that you don't like him already?"

"A vibe."

"A vibe? Okay, if it's possible you're getting weirder. I need some coffee, so let's hit the road."

Packed house, many people picking up and admiring Jessica like she was a plant in a window. The kid had had enough about ten minutes in and let one of her signature wails out. I made excuses to slip away to the kitchen where I hid out with Lafayette, who despite his love for purple glitter wasn't all that bad company.

Sookie came to the kitchen a little while later, instantly going for Jessica.

"Hey baby girl, hey did you miss me? Huh, did you miss your Aunt Sookie? Can you say Sookie? Sook-key?" She shrugged at both me and Jessica as she picked her up "Eh, it was worth a try. Has she eaten?"

First words all day, and they were actually accompanied by a pleasant tone.

Color me shocked.

"Uh, yeah she's had little bits of everything here. Ham, bread, tiny sausages, juice. She's having fun."

"Mmmhmm, let's see how fun it is on the other end."

Oh, no.

"Crap."

"Exactly."

"So uh, who was the guy?" I figured if she was up for talking to me now, I may as well ask.

She licked her lips nervously and looked at what Laf was fixing.

"No one… I mean, it's obviously not no one, but he's just…Bill."

"Bill came?" Lafayette seemed shocked.

"Yes. Can we not talk about him?"

"But I thought you dumped his ass."

"I did. Or… well we were over, but then..."

"Oh, Sookie no! Tell me no. You told me a week ago you was gonna do it. Did you do it?"

She looked at me and shifted Jessica in her arms. She was clearly not comfortable talking about this with me in the room.

Well, screw her I wanted to know. I was nosy.

"He and I … Well, yes, the night of the accident I was finishing it. Finishing it AS I got the phone call actually."

"Hallelujah." He said. "So what the fuck did he want? To find a way of making someone else's funeral somehow about him?"

"Laf, I don't want to talk about it okay?"

"Wut? No! Look, Eric has to know what this asshole is like okay, so just …"

"NOT NOW OKAY?"

She yelled. She really yelled. She yelled so loud it startled the baby and she started to cry.

Well fuck.

Just as she was about to walk out the door with a crying Jessica in her arms, I stopped her.

"No."

"No?"

"Give her to me. You, you're in no state to be looking after her right now."

"EX-cuse me?"

"You're mad—at who I don't know and really I don't care—but you're not storming off to have a bitch fit

with that kid in your arms. Now hand her to me."

She looked stunned and embarrassed as I saw the blush flood her cheeks.

She handed me the baby and excused herself out the back door.

Lafayette shook his head before telling Amelia, who was freaking out over lack of trays, to "put the damn trays down and go see to Sook."

She did and went after her friend leaving me to deal with the sobbing infant.

Awesome.

**SPOV:**

I tripped on some stones or something on the way out the back, almost landing on my face. It would have been a fitting end to a hellish day. And really cement how I felt. I can't believe I'd yelled at Lafayette, in front of the baby, scaring her and pissing Eric off to boot. I was losing it. I let the tears I'd been holding in finally fall as I plonked myself on one of the sun chairs out by the pool.

The funeral had gone off without any problems and for that I was thankful. The service was beautiful, and Hadley got her wish as the flowers where long stemmed white roses, and everyone at the funeral had one to toss on the coffins for them. It was a sweet gesture.

I hadn't slept the night before, and I couldn't really even blame the baby. She'd slept like a log. It was me. I was worrying about everything and anything that entered my mind. I was thinking about my parents and how I'd lost them at a young age, how had it not been for my Gran stepping in and raising Jason and I, Lord knows where we would have ended up.

I knew my decision, while hard, was right. And I knew Eric felt the same way, even if he and I would never be on the same page about anything. I knew he wanted to do right by Alcide's request. I was still pissed at him, him and his cavalier playboy vagina hopping asshole-ness. I just didn't get it. When I saw him with Jessica, he could be the sweetest guy when he thought no one was watching. Or like when he took my hand and was sweet to me in the hospital, he didn't think so, but I noticed. And his epic amounts of being an asshole just made those tiny moments seem fake. And I hoped they weren't.

The last thing I expected was for Bill to tap me on the shoulder at the funeral. I had called him shortly after I'd arrived at the hospital, and told him of the accident and just how bad it was. In true Bill style he wasn't very concerned for my feelings. Just his, and how "work wouldn't allow" for him "to be involved." Which was fine with me. I had more on my plate than I needed, and he was just another distraction. One that I should have gotten rid of ages ago. But he showed up, he hugged me and told me that he was sorry—sorry for being an asshole and sorry for making me do this alone—and that he was there now should I need anything.

It was a speech I'd heard a few times over the course of our dating history, but in that moment I wanted to believe him. I took the cuddle he offered me because honestly no one else had offered one, and it's what I really needed.

We sat on the bench at the graveyard for a while, not talking, just being. He held me and rocked me, and for all his issues and problems, right at that second I was thankful for him.

"Let's go home." He offered.

"No, I can't. Bill, I have people at the house, I have Jessica…I need to get back."

"Let the others handle it. You've done your part now, it's over. We can go."

Had he not heard me?

"I have Jessica now, Bill. I can't just leave without her. And I can't just leave the house either, it's her home."

"You're minding the baby, that's fine… Get someone—"

"No, not minding. I'm her guardian now Bill. Eric and I—"

"Who's Eric?"

"He's a friend of Alcide's. He and I have been tasked with her guardianship from now on."

He froze.

"So, you're saying you're her mother now?"

"No, Hadley is… was her mother. I'm just… a substitute of sorts. But, I'm still her blood."

"And this Eric?"

"He's on board."

"I see. So let me get this straight, you were breaking up with me, and now you're shacking up with some

stranger and a kid that isn't even yours?"

"Bill."

"No, it's fine, Sookie. I know that it's bothered you, the fact that you can't…"

"Bill now is NOT the time."

"Look, I know that it's a sore point for you, but Sookie you can't just take this child on as a substitute for the fact that you can't have—"

"Bill can't you see that I'm upset? Do you really want to bring up my problems right now?"

"Well, are they not why you agreed to this? I know you want children, and this gives it to you. All the pleasures of motherhoo, none of the stretchmarks."

I slapped him hard and square in the face.

"You are a selfish asshole, you know that? Why did you come Bill? Was it just to piss me off some more or just to rub salt in the wounds?"

"I—"

"No, you know what... I've reached my quota on bullshit this week. I'm done. We're done. Don't call me."

With that I walked on my too high heels across the grass and got into my car. I wouldn't cry.

I didn't. Instead, I'd bottled it up until I snapped at a friend and scared the freakin' baby. Some mother figure I was turning out to be. Amelia came out not long after I did, her hug was most welcome even though I felt like I didn't deserve it.

"You want me to tell people to leave? Cause I can do that." She offered.

"In a bit. It's not polite to kick them out after an hour."

"They got their free food you think they give a shit?"

I smiled.

"You are holding up so good, Sook."

"Tell me about it. I'm losing my mind Ames. I'm trying to hard to be and do the right thing, but I don't know what the right thing is anymore." I sobbed into her nice white blouse. See, I'd even ruined that.

"You aren't losing your mind darlin'. It's just a super stressful time and you're allowed to be a little out of sorts."

"This out of sorts? I yelled at Laf, scared the baby—who hates me by the way. She cries all the time when we're alone and she loves Eric. Eric hates me and maybe it would be just better if I just left."

"Hey, hey! Now listen to me, Sookie Stackhouse... you are a strong woman, stronger than this bullshit that's been thrown at you. You love that baby and you have a kind heart in you. I see that and once she gets used to you being around, she will too. She's a baby. She's mixed up and probably confused just like you, only she can't say it out loud like we can yet." She dabbed my tears with a tissue from her wrist. Amelia would make an awesome grandmother some day.

"As for Eric, I don't think he hates you, he just… doesn't really know you. And the you he knows is the stressed, starving, sleepless you who can be a bitch. I won't lie." She smiled. "But be yourself and he'll soon come around…. Unless of course, he's still a ass and you want me to sneeze in his coffee?" She giggled.

"No, no, don't do that. You're right. He doesn't know me. Hell, I don't know him either. I know… parts of him, his man-whoring parts that I just don't agree with."

"Is he a slut?"

I nodded.

"Damn. That sucks for the living situation huh. Awkward."

I nodded.

"I'm just…so tired Ames."

"I know honey, but here's what we're gonna do. You sit here, take off those shoes. And wait."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'mma be a nice southern belle and be polite and kind when I tell your guests—ninety percent of whom you do not know, by the way—that they can go the hell home. Wake is over…." She patted me on the knee as she walked inside.

I laid back on the sun chair, as far back as my tight shift dress would let me. I looked up, and glanced at the bathroom window, only to see Eric looking down at me.

Shit.

Had he heard me totally lose my shit? Oh, great, more ammo for him to use against me.

**EPOV:**

Dealing with diaper duty wasn't fun. What was fun however was laughing at just how happy that kid seemed when she was naked. Honestly, I knew where she was coming from. Air and freedom, it was awesome. But she was a baby and apparently babies had to wear silly outfits they hated and looked uncomfortable in sometimes. Just like life. I felt her pain. She kicked and squee'd as I wiped and powdered her necessary areas, all the while assuring her that she'd need to time it better next time so Sookie got stuck with this and not me. I felt like she was picking on me.

"Like I don't have enough women's shit to deal with." I nodded at her as I attempted to stick the diaper together, this time sans duct tape.

It worked, we have progress!

That's when I noticed Sookie's voice get higher outside. I went to the window to find her head buried in Ameila's shoulder. She was sobbing her heart out.

My stomach clenched. Like I said, I couldn't stand when a woman cried. And something in me hated seeing Sookie cry even more. That urge—the one I had in the hospital, the one at the graveside, the one where I just wanted to reach out and comfort her—that came again. Instead, I listened as she sobbed and told her friend how she though I hated her. It wasn't a totally off center assumption to make based on my behavior toward her, but I didn't hate her. How could I hate her? I didn't know her.

I listened as Ameila dispatched sage advice like a pro. She and Pam would get on like a house on fire, I thought. Then I watched as Amelia went inside and Sookie sat back.

Busted.

She saw me watching her. I instantly moved away from the window, not that it mattered she'd seen me and she'd known I'd heard. Great, another reason for her to bitch at me. Now she'd think I was some kind of weird peeping Tom as well as a man whore.

"Sometimes you just can't win, Jessica." I sighed as she pulled my hair. That was a habit I'd have to nip in the bud. She had a hell of a grip on her for such a tiny thing!

I walked down the stairs with the baby to be greeted by a suddenly empty house.

"What the hell?"

"Change of plans big man." Tara came around the corner.

"Where is everyone?"

"They gone. It's family time now."

"Family…What?"

She smiled and took Jessica from me. "You own swimming trunks?"

"I… Huh?"

"Go get them and meet us by the pool."

I was so confused, but marched back upstairs anyway. I'd been hooking through one of my cases that Pam had dropped off for a few minutes, when I heard footsteps to Sookie's room.

"Put it on."

"No, it's too…there isn't much of a bathing suit in that Amelia."

"So? You need a tan, now put!"

I heard her sigh. Amelia was kinda bossy to her boss.

I put my long Nike shorts on and a blue t-shirt. Relieved to finally be out of that damn suit.

"Sookie, put it on and meet me downstairs. Jessica is with Tara and she's fine. Shut up! Your ass doesn't look big." Was all I heard, not being able to hear Sookie since she didn't yell when she talked.

I made my way downstairs and outside where I found Lafayette, Tommy, and Tara who was now in shorts and a t-shirt too, smothering sunscreen on Jessica and putting her in a tiny baby bathing suit and hat.

"What's goin' on guys?"

"We're celebrating."

"Celebrating what?" I asked Tara.

"Their life. With copious amounts of Margaritas—Hadley's favourite—and Heineken for Alcide. We toast, we talk, we soak. You down with that date man?" Tara asked me, handing me a bottle of beer.

"Should we be drinkin' with a kid here?" Tommy spoke up, and he raised a valid point.

"No, but one or two ain't gonna alert the police, and besides I am the designated driver today, so that means I get to bond with my new little white friend here." She jiggled Jessica to and fro dancing. Jess was of course, loving it.

Amelia came out the double doors and dropped her robe, sporting a modest one-piece. She smiled at the baby before laying down to tan.

Next came Sookie, and I had to look twice. Gone was the tight, black dress that did frame her ass magnificently might I add, but was built for funerals, not fun. This Sookie looked, well... fun. She tiptoed out, her hair now up in a messy bun on top of her head, shades on, and the tiniest red bikini I've ever seen on her body. From her neck to her breasts, hips, tummy, thighs…. Why was she allowed to wear clothes?

Margaritas and memories might be fun after all.

**A/N Thank you guys SO much for all the reviews and pms and adds and alerts, it's all amazing! Really glad you're enjoying these two idiots so far! x Big thank you to my beta vikinglover elle for all her work on these chapters! And to Makesmyheadspin for being an awesome cheerleader! **


	5. Chapter 5

SPOV:

When Amelia threw the bathing suit at me, I wanted to recoil in horror. It was tiny! I was definitely not feeling confident enough to wear something so small. I'd been waxed a couple of weeks before so I was good on that front, but still, I was just feeling like crap run over and she wanted me to wear this? I could have strangled her with it.

She told me that she'd get to mixing me a good stiff drink—that might help my feelings on the bikini. I scowled at myself in the mirror, grabbed my towel and thought to hell with it. I was among friends… and well, I guess, Eric. Either way maybe I shouldn't care what they thought. I needed to relax and spend time with my people.

Walking out to the deck and down to the pool, I saw that everyone was already in a lot less clothes and chilling on the sun seats with drinks being passed around. Tara had Jessica in a swimming costume and sun hat and I could see from where I stood she's slapped the factor 4000 on her skin before tip toeing into the pool with her, sticking her in her little ring to float.

I saw Eric look at me from his seat beside Lafayette who was next to me. True to form his eyes seemed glued to my breasts, moving up and down of course, but always coming back to the girls. I could have giggled. Men, they really were simple creatures.

"Mmmhmmm, nice." Lafayette whistled and I slapped him with my towel.

"You hush."

"Hush to what mamma look at you! Ass for days, fabbalush breast-icles."

"You don't even play for my team!" I pointed out.

"So? That mean I can't appreciate..." he turned to Eric, "... on both sides of the fence?" He looked him up and down and turned back to me. "Someone is wearing too many clothes."

"It's a t-shirt not a sweater." Eric pointed out. Not looking up, he chose to drink his beer instead.

"Don't tease him Laf, he's probably just shy about his body." Where that comment came from, I didn't know.

With that, Eric chuckled and stood up. I looked over my sunglasses as he reached for the hemline of his t-shirt and yanked it over his head, firing it at me.

"I'm not shy about nothing, Sookie."

Tara and Amelia wolf whistled and I rolled my eyes. Of course he's not shy; he's built like a god under those baggy t-shirts. Defined abs ran up his torso—his long, long torso—to his rather, Amelia was right, lick-able neck.

Of course, I acted like it was no big deal. He was just a guy—a good looking, toned, hot guy. Not a big deal at all.

We sat, talked—well, Eric mostly listened and nodded along—and drank. I had one cocktail that I was only half fussed about. We talked about the service and how pretty it was, how many people came to pay their respects, how nosy they were around the house and how many times I'd been asked if I was going to raise the baby alone, like it was a horror! Old southern ladies liked to judge, that much we established. They also loved free tea and cake.

"Jessica okay?" I asked out loud laying down and adjusting my sunglasses to gain some sun in the 80 plus heat.

"She's fine, aren't you puddin'? She likes the water. This ring thing is amazing, fits right in all secure."

"Use her water wings just in case!" I called.

"Sookie, chill okay?"

"I'm plenty chilled."

"Mhhmm, just like Hadley." Tara mused in a sing song voice.

"What?"

"You women always worried about everything. You and Hadley more than most!"

"She did worry a lot, huh?"

"Do you remember her engagement party?"

"Remember it? There was a reason Alcide convinced her to elope, remember? God, that party was high stress!" I laughed.

"The ice sculptures! In July! What was she thinking?" Amelia screeched handing me a cocktail.

"Eric, you missed it man, it was … a disaster!" Lafayette leaned into Eric's side of the chair. "She was running around for weeks trying to have the 'perfect' party, and oh God…"

I picked up the story. "The day before, she was in such a rush picking her outfit up and getting her hair done, that she came running up the steps of my Gran's place and falls, smack on her face!"

"Oh my God!" He laughed.

"No! The best part... she broke her damn nose, but insisted on going ahead with the party! I have to find those photos! She thought her bangs would cover it, and Lafayette said—"

"Honey child, unless we turn you into Cousin It, ain't nothing' gonna cover that nose!" Lafayette and Eric laughed.

"Oh, my God it was hilarious. Alcide's face when he saw her, poor guy, he was trying so hard to stay on her good side."

"But the girl looked like road kill." Tara said without thinking, instantly calling a halt to the laughing. She rolled her eyes at herself before she apologised. I told her not to worry about it and that everyone had better get those sour pusses straightened out. Hadley would have killed us if we'd looked like shit at her funeral.

It made Amelia laugh as she started in on another anecdote about our friends, this one about the road trip we took senior year of high school. Lord, I just hoped she left out the part about us flashing the truckers….

_She didn't._

Eric raised his eyebrows at me; that smirk permanently attached to his face.

Lafayette just laughed as I rolled my eyes.

"On that note, I am going to put Miss Jessica down for her nap otherwise there will be hell to pay."

"Flashing truckers?" Eric whispered to me, surprised.

"There are things this _Ice Queen _has done, Eric that would surprise and shock even you, I'm sure." I leaned down to whisper back. Whether or not I gave him an eyeful of cleavage in the process was … I'm sure, totally accidental.

"Come on, honey." I said as I took her from Tara as she started to rub her little eyes. Yep, definitely nap time.

I took her up to my bedroom and sat her on my bed as I changed into a pair of denim shorts, slipped off my flip flops and got under the covers. Jessica crawled under them with me too. She was sucking away on her pacifier while her big blue eyes searched my face. She'd put her hand to my lips every now and again, before entangling her little fingers in my hair. She liked to twirl my hair it seemed.

It also seemed that the hair twirling had a calming effect on her; she stared at me for a long while before her little eyelids started close ever so slowly. She fought it though, trying her best to stay awake but eventually sleep dragged her under. It must have worked it's magic on me too because that's the last thing I remember before being woken up by her crawling on my legs more than two hours later.

**EPOV:**

I watched Sookie walk away with the baby in her arms all wrapped up in a big towel. I told myself that I was just looking out for Jessica, and not at all wondering what the view of Sookie's ass in those bikini bottoms looked like. I also told myself that she was just a girl having a shit time, just like I was having a shit time. We were both in this together and maybe I could try harder on the whole 'being nice' thing. I knew it was bad when Pam told me to go easy on her. But Pam, she knew me. She knew that I wasn't a talker; I didn't converse easily with strangers; I had to wait until someone wanted to know me… and if they tried hard enough, they did. Most people didn't though. Most people saw me, and thought one of two things. _One,_ I was hot or _two_, I was an asshole.

Now the women who thought I was hot on first glance would flirt, and if they flirted and I found them hot, we'd have sex. Lots of sex. Sometimes weekends filled with sex… However, afterwards they usually thought option number _two_. Probably because I was the asshole that had fucked and run, leaving them high and… well, not so dry.

Conversing with women who didn't want to sleep with me was… well… _difficult. _I knew what to say to get in their pants, just not what to say to get into their heads and that almost always worked. Well, except that one time the chick turned out to be a lesbian… who then in turn became my best friend, outside of Alcide. The other time it hadn't worked, I got stuck with an eight hundred dollar bill for champagne.

From the age of eighteen, the game had worked. I kept myself limited to a number of people who got to know me and I was fine with that. Now I guess I had to add two more. Being stuck with Sookie and a kid, wasn't exactly how I'd planned my life to go in my early thirties… But then again, I guess Alcide hadn't planned on being scraped off a highway either. The dice was tossed; I just had to take my turn.

"You want another beer?" I offered Lafayette as he gathered up all his cooking supplies while the rest of us tidied up as best we could. Grieving people were messy as fuck.

Tara helped Lafayette finish up in the kitchen while Amelia and I sorted out the dining room and the living room. Tommy had to leave since he was on chore duty with his parents. He seemed like a good kid; for a busboy he was smart as whip and not even a senior in high school.

Amelia was sweet, she was kind and she was also kinda dumb. Normally she'd be exactly the kind of girl I'd be flirting with, but there was also something else to her, something that told me if I even tried that she'd shut me down flat. I guess to them I was still the Asshole date guy. Though, I had hopes that our time talking might have changed that opinion, ever so slightly. Why I cared what these people thought of me? I had no idea. But I figured if Sookie and I were going to do this thing, then they might be around a lot. So, it might be best to not be a total dick to all of them, all at once.

"You know, you're good with her." She said.

"Who?"

"Little Jessica. She's a cute kid an all, but damn she has lungs like …"

"Yeah she's a screamer alright. But …thanks?"

"You're welcome. And you know, no matter what everybody thinks… I know Sookie and she's really an amazing person. I mean, sometimes yeah, she's a bitch but she makes up for it like the other ninety-percent of the time because she's awesome."

"Is that right?"

"Totally. She and I have been friends forever, and she was always the smart one, you know? But she always stuck around 'cause that's who she is, she's loyal. Sometimes too loyal, to dickhead's who don't deserve her loyalty…"

_Like who_, I wondered.

"But if you earn it, you get it and once you get it? It's pretty hard to lose."

Huh, maybe she wasn't so dumb after all.

"I hear you."

"Do you? 'Cause like it or not you guys are in this together now and maybe you both can try and stop butting heads for a change?"

"Believe me I want to. I'd like some peace, but it's just that … God, I don't know what it is but when we're together it's like explosions of sarcasm just go off in my head and it all comes out and pisses her off… Then, she's mad at me and it's a circle of that, and it's only been A DAY and half. It's excruciating."

She giggled.

"Then I wish you luck, Eric." She patted me on the shoulder, taking her bag of trash that she'd collected into the kitchen.

Yeah, good luck. I'd be needing it.

**SPOV: **

I woke up and the first thing I saw was Jessica's bottom. She was upside down on my legs, her little butt in the air trying to crawl off the bed.

"Nuh uh little Missy, you get your butt back here."

She laughed as I lifted her back to the head of the bed.

The sun was starting to set. I'd spent the better part of the afternoon napping. I guess I really needed it and from the looks of the wide awake baby next to me, she did too.

"You must be starving, and I shudder to think what awaits me in your diaper."

She decided that a game of peek-a-boo with my quilt was in order before we got up.

I fixed my bed-head as best I could. The messy bun wasn't working so I quickly braided it into two large pigtails as Jessica watched me in the mirror.

"One day when your hair grows all long and shiny I'll teach you how to do that. Would you like that?"

Yeah she's good at the staring and spitting bubbles thing, I'll give her that.

I walked into the kitchen to find everyone gone, and everything spotless. So not what I'd left when I went upstairs. Eric was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't surprising to me. It was almost dark. He probably had to meet his pussy quota for the day and was most likely out to find his next victim.

There was more than enough food in containers to last us a week. There were stews, roasts, chicken wings, potato salads, and three different kinds of coleslaw—who needed three different kinds of coleslaw?

I popped Jess into her high chair and knocked on the TV for her to gaze at as I worked on fixing us something to eat that maybe resembled a dinner.

I'd forgotten my cell was charging in the den just as I was re-heating the meats.

"I'll be right back baby, don't cry!"

I sprinted down the hall and to the right, grabbing my cell off the table where I'd left it charging. On turning around that's when I saw him. Lying curled up on the couch, gripping one of the pillows to his chest—Eric, sound asleep.

"He sleeps."

He was lying there in his basketball shorts, and not a whole lot else. I took a moment, just a moment to appreciate just how… pretty he was. You know, when he wasn't running his smart mouth or being a prick, he was really very pretty.

Pretty isn't the word I'm guessing he'd like me to use when describing him, but hey, it's a step up from asshole, right?

I left his pretty self lying there, but not before I felt sorry for him and draped the long woollen blanket over him to keep him warm.

Ass or no, he didn't deserve to wake up freezing.

I'd managed to whip up a pretty epic southern feast if I do say so myself. I was starving, and little Miss was just as bad. After a diaper change, I let her sit happily in her vest and little baby underwear over the diaper as I got together her dinner. Roast potatoes, mashed for her, roast chicken, gravy, veggies and biscuits. I made Eric a plate and left it in the oven; I wasn't going to let him starve. I was a lot of things, but a rude host was not one of them. It's just not how I was raised!

"Somethin' smells good..." came the husky voice from the doorway. Source of said voice was a very sleepy, bed-headed Eric.

"Hey. Thanks, its dinner. You want?"

He nodded. Right, he wasn't so chatty when he woke up. I'd reheated his plate while he took a seat at the island, yawning and wiping his eyes; his hair was sticking up all over the place. It was adorable.

"Have you already eaten?" He asked, actually looking at me and not my boobs for a change. Not that I could really complain, I was still standing there in my bikini top and shorts. He'd just have to deal. I was a southern girl who loved the sun; this was practically my uniform. He poured himself a glass of milk as I got his plate.

"God, this looks awesome."

"Yeah, there is seriously so much food here. I don't know how we'll get through it all."

"Challenge accepted." He smiled. Typical guy.

"Knock yourself out."

He started to chow down, and I suddenly felt very awkward standing there.

"I uhh… I should go and leave you to eat in peace…"

"Hey no, you… I mean it… if you don't have anything to do … the company would be … be okay."

I nodded and sat across from him, "So, you sleep okay?"

Awkward. So totally awkward.

"Yeah." He smiled. "I hadn't meant to but I guess this last couple of days finally caught up with me."

"Yeah, same here. I'd only meant to lie down till Jess went to sleep but I got pulled under too."

He nodded, still chowing down. Man he could eat.

"Where is she?"

"She is in the den; there are building blocks, toys, teddies, and not a whole lot of sharp edges. Plus, she's been crawling back and forth to me for about an hour now."

I still had the baby monitor on my hip though. I heard her giggling at the TV and I glanced around the corner to see that, yep she was on her stomach watching Barney and clapping.

It killed me to know that she had no idea what these last few days had meant or what they would mean for her for the rest of her life. I turned back to the kitchen, lifting the pans from the dishwasher.

"You have a nice ass."

I saw him through the window reflection. He face palmed, he actually face palmed.

"Excuse me?" I spun around.

"I… Uhh. I'm just sayin' you have a nice ass." He shrugged.

"Okay?"

"Do you think I have a nice ass?"

Yes. No… _Yes_.

"Oh my God, why are we having this conversation?"

He shrugged again taking another bite of his chicken. "I don't know, I thought you have a nice ass and thought you should know. If someone thought _I_ had a nice ass, I'd like them to tell me."

I glared; I didn't know what else to do.

"Well Eric, I can't say I've been paying all that much attention to _your_ ass since you've been a little too busy BEING an ass for me to look elsewhere."

He smiled.

"Well, feel free to look… I know I will."

Why was he so weird?

"You realize these are words coming out of your mouth right?"

"Sorry for paying you a compliment!"

"Compli-… oh my God, Eric when you tell a woman she has a 'nice ass' it's the same as you telling her she has 'nice tits'. It's not a compliment, it's…"

"It's what?"

"It's insulting!"

"Well, would you rather I said you had an ugly ass?"

"N-No, but that's not the point!"

"It's entirely the point. You don't want me thinking badly of your ass, but when I think good of it you don't want that either! Women, I swear!"

"That's not … Not…"

Again with the frustrating sexism.

"It's degrading. I'm not just an ass. Or tits!"

"No, I know that. But again, I'm just saying, they're… you know… _nice_."

"Yes. I get your point. You think I'm hot."

"Ohh hooo-no, I never said that." He sounded off. There was that damn smirk again.

"_What?"_

"I never said you were hot."

"Yes you—"

"Nooo, I said you had a nice ass. That's so not the same as being _hot_."

I blushed, I was embarrassed. Way to assume, Stackhouse.

"So, you're saying that I'm not hot?" I stood, hands on hips in protest, and I may have straightened out the girls in the process.

He just laughed; the bastard was laughing at me. He stood up to put his empty plate in the dishwasher, brushing past me in the process. He was standing a breath away from me; I say a breath because I could feel his on my skin when he spoke next.

"Do you want me to think you're hot, Sookie?"

I ignored the tingles that ran up my insides as he spoke in that lower sleepy octave.

"I don't really give a damn."

"You give a damn."

I looked him square in the eye, tingles or no tingles I wasn't going to let him get this one over on me.

"Nope."

"Really? So if I said that I didn't think you were hot, you wouldn't be upset?" He toyed.

"Upset?" I scoffed "Hardly. In fact it's probably a good thing. It means I haven't descended into ho-ville quite yet, since I'm guessing the women you're used to finding attractive are usually of… questionable moral content. So you can think I'm the wicked witch for all I care, Eric." I sassed him, raising my brow as he licked his lips, staring me down.

He didn't say anything, just quirked his eyebrow at me before reaching behind me, brushing my arm in the process to grab an apple from the fruit bowl.

"Good to know, Stackhouse." He smiled and bounced off in Jessica's direction, while I tried my best to make the goose bumps that had appeared on my arms go away.

_What the hell, self? _

_**A/N: Ohhh these two! *Shakes head* :D So glad you're lovin' these two so far! The reviews, adds, and pms have all helped my urge to write, so big thank you again! **  
_


	6. Chapter 6

EPOV:

I had a crick in my neck from folding myself onto the couch, but something smelled amazing and the aroma wafting by brought me into consciousness. I hadn't meant to sleep, but somehow I got pulled down by my exhaustion—the previous day's stresses finally catching up to me. I followed my nose to the kitchen. I was half awake and thanks to the view I encountered in the kitchen, I was also half hard.

Damn.

Bent over the dishwasher in the shortest pair of denim cut-offs I'd seen since Daisy Duke, was Sookie, loading the dishes. And did I mention she was wearing a bikini top? She was definitely on the VIP list for the party in my pants.

I tried to shake myself out of it however, knowing if she realized I was leering at her, she'd more than likely just get pissed off again. I wanted to see if we could go ten minutes without biting each other's heads off.

She offered me dinner and I was shocked—not that I thought she cooked and left me anything—that she was being civil. I'd woken up with a blanket draped around me, and I was pretty sure Jessica wasn't the one to put it there. Sookie was a polite southern girl underneath her sass. Her breakdown in the backyard, despite not wanting to kick people out, showed me that. So I knew hospitality was in her bones.

The food was amazing. Whoever these people were that felt the need to give us food, I thanked them. I was chomping on my amazing soul food dinner when I did something stupid, and not for the first time where she was concerned. You see, it seemed when Sookie walked into a room, my brain filter just shut itself right off and took a break, like a Kit-Kat. Because while I was thinking 'Man, what a nice ass,' I didn't mean to say it out loud.

Honestly, what the hell, Northman?

She looked offended at first, then pissed, then… a little disappointed. I noticed the subtle change in her stance when I told her that I hadn't in fact called her hot, just a piece of her. I wasn't blind. The woman was beautiful, sexual and had these breasts that just … But that wasn't the point. My point was that she cared—she cared what I thought of her, and not just bitchy Sookie—but she wanted me to like what I saw.

Interesting, no? For a woman who I thought was repulsed by the sight of me, suddenly getting stomp happy because I didn't say I found her attractive. She cared; she so totally cared. And it gave me a tiny bit of leverage.

As I sauntered off to find the other female in the house—the one that didn't care one way or the other what I thought of her as long as I had shit for her to chew on or bounce on—I found her crawling under a coffee table, somehow finding a fallen penny.

"Ah-ah, no… dirty!" I threw it away before I spun her up in my arms above my head. She seemed to like that.

"No, Eric don't!" came the screeching from the doorway, right before I heard the burp and felt it.

It.

Throw up. All over my neck and t-shirt. Gross. God, that shit smelled foul.

"I tried to warn you. She's just ate."

"Well, shit."

I tried to wipe it off but it was just too much. Sookie took Jessica from me before she handed me a pack of wet wipes.

"You need to shower buddy. Because that…" she laughed "… is disgusting."

Jessica just hiccupped and looked at me like, "Hey, what did you expect, idiot? I'm a kid and you bounced me up like seven feet."

I'd have to keep that in mind.

Hitting the shower was more welcome than I expected. Other than thoughts of Sookie in and out of that bikini all day, and the need to calm down, it actually gave me time to reflect. As unbelievable as that sounds. We'd survived the funeral, we'd survived the wake, and our first evening together in the house really. I'd noticed my thought process had changed quicker than I'd have liked it too. Instead of 'me' and 'I' it was 'us' and 'we'. I'd be the first to admit that I'd been a fairly selfish bastard most of my life. Not where my friends were concerned, or my employees or things like that, but with the women in my life—the lovers in my life. I'd given very little in terms of myself to any of them.

By the time I'd gotten out of the shower and managed to find some underwear, I heard voices downstairs—Sookie's voice in a light, airy, almost flirtatious tone and a guy.

How long was I in the damn shower?

I quickly pulled on my jeans and a black tank before heading downstairs.

What I saw when I got down to the bottom of the stairs and looked into the living room was Sookie, some guy, and Jessica. Jess was crawling all over the place like someone had slipped her some batteries, while Sookie looked deep in conversation, and in flirtation mode with this squinty-eyed motherf–, I mean guy, sitting in the living room.

"So is there anything else I should know now or can it wait until tomorrow?" She asked, her hands clasped together on her knee, her legs folded, leaning towards squinty.

"Uh, hi?" I butted in.

"Oh, Eric! This is Sam, Sam this is Eric." Squinty stood up, or at least I assumed he stood—he was so short it was hard to tell—and attempted to shake my hand.

I indulged him.

"Sam Merlotte. Nice to meet 'ya," went the twang.

"Sam is actually Jessica's pediatrician. He came over tonight to offer his condolences because he was out of town for the weekend. Look, he brought pie!"

"Oh, I see. Well, hi." I offered.

"I was talking to him about Jessica, you know, anything we should know right away, and I made an appointment for tomorrow to go and discuss her medical history. I mean, there's just so much we don't know!" Sookie smiled at Doctor Squints and then looked up at me. "Right?"

"Right, yes, of course."

"I really am sorry for your loss. They were a great couple, so happy together, and they really loved that little one." He gazed at Jessica.

"Yeah, they were."

"So, Sookie tells me you two are taking over her guardianship. I think that's just amazing. It's such a commitment but here you both are. As a couple, that can't have been an easy decision."

"Oh no." Sookie giggled, like she GIGGLED at this fool. "No, no. Eric and I…" she motioned between us, "we're not a couple. We're just two single people… you know, trying to do the right thing."

"Oh." He smiled at Sookie. I knew that smile, I used that smile. That bastard. "Well, that's interesting."

Interesting? Yeah, I bet it was. Know what else might be interesting… me punching the squints out of his squinty little eyes.

Sookie was still smiling—full on smiling. I'd not seen that smile.

I hated him instantly.

"So, what do you want, Sam?"

"Eric! Don't be so rude! Goodness! I'm sorry about him he's just grumpy because Jessica thre–"

"Sookie, do we need to give him my life story?" I asked giving her the stink eye. I didn't need Patch Adams here knowing that I couldn't handle the kid.

"Well like I said, Eric I'm here to offer y'all my condolences and to … I guess welcome you both to the area. Sookie says she's originally from Bon Temps, where are you from?"

The land of not wanting to have a conversation with you.

"Originally Sweden, but we moved here when I was twelve."

"Oh, that's a tough age. It must have been hard on you."

Thank you, Doctor Phil.

I saw Sookie looking at us, her big doe eyes just waiting for me to agree it was hard and sympathize.

"No, it was awesome actually."

"Really?"

"Yep. Whole levels of awesome." I snapped. I scooped Jessica off the floor.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get Jessica ready for bed." With that I walked back upstairs just in time to hear Sookie apologize for my "rudeness." What the hell? Just because I didn't want to talk to Doc Brown about shit he didn't know shit about? No thanks, Sookie.

Plus, I think if I had to listen to her flirt with him anymore, I might have thrown up.

"Okay, little girl. What exactly do I do to get you to sleep?"

She latched onto my mouth again with her hands.

"Okay, let's check the basics—diaper? You need changed?"

I turned her around sniffing her butt—it was dry and still smelling of baby powder, which meant Sookie had changed her recently.

Huh.

Baby pajamas. I think that's what Sookie put her in the night before. I rooted through her little wardrobe and found a thing that looked like it would be cozy for bed. It was an all in one soft suit that zipped up in the front. I figured that would keep her secure and warm.

"Okay so here's the deal, it's the caregiver thing again. I'm going to undress you now but then we're going to get you all snugly for bed, so don't freak out or anything okay?"

She just raised her little blonde eyebrows at me like, 'get on with it fool.'

Okay then.

I sat down on the overstuffed chair in her nursery trying to get her into the sleepwear, when I heard Sookie's hard footfalls marching up the stairs.

"Uh oh, we're for it now." I whispered to the baby.

And sure enough she rounded the corner with a scowl that could freeze the sun.

"What the hell is your problem?" She demanded in a harsh whisper.

"I don't have a problem."

"Oh, really? So what the hell was that downstairs? He was a nice guy, just being NICE and you were so rude to him!"

"Right. Look, just because I didn't feel like having some fake conversation with some random stranger that I don't know or care about, that's rude?"

"It is rude because he came here to talk to us."

"Well, it seemed like you were doing a good enough job for both of us all on your own."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh don't play dumb, Sookie. It doesn't suit you."

Her eyes bulged.

"I was just being polite, and just because you're a whore doesn't mean you have to assume everyone else is!"

"Oh! I'm a whore, huh?"

"Well, what would you call it? Sexually non-discriminate?"

Bitch.

"Hey, I don't care what you do, or who you flirt with or what you do with Doctor Spock down there."

"He's gone. I was so embarrassed after you were SO rude to him I didn't think he'd be comfortable staying."

"Oh, I'm sure if you tried hard enough you'd make him plenty comfortable."

Her mouth was agape.

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

"I thought I was a whore?"

She stamped her foot and walked out, leaving Jessica staring up at me.

"Don't look at me kid, you women are all nuts." She blew a spit bubble with her lips. I took that as an agreement.

SPOV:

I'd just heard the shower come to life upstairs when the doorbell rang.

"Let's see who that is Jess, huh? Will we see who that is?"

I opened the door to find a guy standing on the other side.

"Hi. Can I help you?"

"Hi, are you Sookie?"

"I am, and you are?"

He smiled and offered me the huge apple pie he held in his hands.

"It's nothing fancy. In fact, I bought it in the store but I figured it's the thought that counts right?"

"It definitely counts. I'm sorry, who are–"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Sam, Sam Merlotte. I'm Jessica's pediatrician." He offered me his hand.

"Oh! Yes! I've been looking through Hadley's planner and saw your name. I'd been meaning to call you. Please, come in."

I showed him into the living room, like the good hostess I was.

"Would you like some tea?"

"No, I have office hours starting early tomorrow, so I better not."

"Of course."

"Sookie, I'm so sorry about your cousin. She and Alcide… well they were just … it's so tragic."

It really was.

"Thank you. Right now things are so up in the air it's ridiculous. I'm on leave from work for a week to see if can get my head around this whole thing; it's a lot to take in."

"I'm sure it is. You'll be moving here full-time, I assume?"

"Looks that way. This is only day two, but I think it would be best for Jess if we moved in here."

"Ah, yes. You and Eric, right?"

I raised my brow at him and he smiled.

"The neighbors like to talk. Sorry."

Of course they did. Nosy bitches.

"Dr. Merlotte–"

"No… Sam. Please."

"Sam, is there anything I should know right away about Jessica? I mean, is she allergic to anything or does she have a history of anything I should be worried about?"

He smiled again and I noticed he did that a lot. He was a kind looking man, a little older than Eric I'd say, maybe late thirties? He had dirty blonde hair that was showing signs of grey around his hairline; he had a pleasant face which was tan and a little rough around the edges; he wasn't as tall as Eric or Bill even, but he was sweet.

"No. Unless the doctors from the hospital—"

"No. They said she managed to escape the crash, without a scratch, if you can believe it."

"That's amazing. How is she holding up emotionally?" He shook her little hand as she slid off my lap to go explore on the floor.

"She seems fine at times, but I think it's too soon to tell really. I mean, she misses them, that much is obvious. But I hope we'll be enough for her."

He nodded.

"So do you live in the area, Sam?"

"I do. I live a few blocks from here on the other side of the development. Truth be told, I think it's why Hadley chose me as their doctor. She was a bit of a worrier."

I laughed, leaning forward a little. "Yes, she really was. Every little thing was a huge deal. I'm gonna try and not drive you crazy with questions." I smiled again, he just had that effect on me. "So is there anything else I should know now or can it wait until tomorrow?"

I heard his footsteps on the stairs before I saw him and he interrupted ever so… Eric like.

I tried to make conversation with both of them, but something crawled up Eric's ass and he'd changed from playful one minute to downright rude to Sam for no reason that I could see.

How dare he? After all, Sam was a basic stranger who'd never done anything to him! What gives! When he scooped Jessica off the floor I was secretly hoping she'd throw up on him again, just to teach him a lesson.

But no, instead he and his tight tank top wearing self walked up the stairs with her humming some song I didn't know, while Sam looked at me awkwardly.

"He's … Well he's…"

A fucking jerk who is about to get a piece of my pissed off mind, that's what he is.

"It's fine, Sookie. I'm clearly interrupting. I should have come during the day like a normal person. It's just with the conference, and then working all week I wasn't sure when I'd get the chance to say hello."

"Thank you Sam, it was very sweet of you, and thank you for the pie. I'll call the office to set up a proper time tomorrow, if that's okay?"

"Of course. It was lovely to meet you, Sookie."

I marched, hard-heeled up the stairs to find him in the nursery getting Jess dressed for bed. It annoyed me that she wasn't jiggling around and squirming and crying for him like she was for me the night before.

Little traitor.

I yelled at him, but without really yelling. I'd learned the day before that screaming only led to more screaming and that was no fun for anyone.

He bitched me out, I bitched him out. God, he made my blood boil, I swear. I called him a bastard and marched myself back downstairs again. I started the load in the dish washer and began tidying around the kitchen. Cleaning, it was something I did in times of high stress. It was a boring monotonous task that kept my mind busy on the subject at hand, and my hands busy so I didn't lash out or do something stupid.

I'd heard the baby monitor creak, and I'd forgotten I'd left it on her dresser on one of my many trips to her room that evening. The twin of it was in the kitchen with me. It crackled on the other end and I heard shuffling.

"Okay, Jess you need to sleep okay? Just close your eyes and sleep for me."

Yeah, because it's just that easy.

I heard her fussing as I began to put together her bottle.

I heard him sigh, when she started to cry. "Okay you win."

I'd just finished sterilizing the bottle and heating the milk when I heard him start to hum.

And it wasn't a lullaby.

Was he humming Aerosmith?

In that moment it struck me as incredibly sweet. He couldn't hum a lullaby because he was Eric; why would Eric know any lullabies? So, by the second verse of what sounded like Crazy, I tiptoed up the stairs to find him lying in the chair with his feet up on the footstool. Jessica was laying on his chest, her eyes slowly closing and opening.

He put his finger to his mouth to shush me, and I nodded as he kept on humming.

Asleep in fifteen minutes. Well, that sure beat my three and a half hours of sobbing the night before. I left her bottle on the dresser, hoping he'd know to put it in the crib with her, just in case. I decided that then was as good a time as any to shower. I needed to wash the day away more than anything.

I was confused by Eric's rudeness, not that him being a total jackass was a surprise, but it was confusing. Usually to total strangers he was polite, reserved and intimidating. The wake showed me that. But with Sam he was just downright hostile, and it made no sense. I assumed he had never met Sam before, so what was the big deal? It annoyed me if this was a taste of his behavior whenever someone new called to the house. Well, I'd be damned if I'd let him carry on like that, it just wasn't right! My Gran would turn in her grave if she knew I'd let anyone be rude to any guest like that.

Maybe that's how things rolled in Sweden, but certainly not here.

Sweden; it was nice to place his accent—not that he had much of one left. It was very much Americanized, but I had noticed that there was a slight lilt when he was tired or when he just woke up. A Swedish lilt it turns out.

It reminded me that there was so much I didn't know about Eric; so much that I hadn't even thought of asking him or caring to get to know. Had he any siblings or was he an only child? I hadn't even thought of his parents. Forgive me, but I assumed someone that douche-tastic just landed here from planet Jerk. He knew plenty about me, or I thought so anyway. I was sure my friends had let slip more than a few secrets about me when I put Jess down for her nap, but perhaps not.

Either way, the shower had cleared my head and it made me decide that if this living together thing was going to work long-term, I had to watch my temper around him, and he had to make his effort too.

But, of course, neither of us got anywhere because all we did was piss each other off. For whatever reason. I still wasn't totally sure. I wrapped my towel around my head and around my chest, pulling the longer towel up slightly so I didn't trip and made my way out of the bathroom. Walking past Eric's room, I noticed his door was slightly ajar. I tiptoed into my room and threw on my night tank and pink bed shorts. I quickly brushed out my hair and checked the mirror, then I walked to his room, door still ajar.

I knocked.

"Yeah?" came the voice inside. I stuck my head around the door, not expecting to find him sitting very topless, on his very big bed.

God help me.

The light from his two lamps provided ample illumination of his extremely sculpted abs. They really were quiet distracting.

"Oh, uh. Hi. Listen can I …come in?"

He looked me up and down and I tried my best not to shiver.

What the hell was that about, Stackhouse?

"Look, I just… I wanted to apologize."

His raised brow was enough, but he asked anyway. "For what?"

Take the first step, Sookie. Be the better person here.

"Bitching you out before. Yes, you were rude, and yes I didn't see a reason for it, but you're not my boyfriend, or my husband, or my anything like that. You're my …housemate? I guess?" I laughed awkwardly messing with my curling wet hair. "But this whole thing is going to be hard enough as it is on both of us without me jumping down your throat because you weren't brainwashed with the same degree of good ole southern manners like I was."

He bit his lower lip, and I might have zoned out.

"I'm sorry too." He rolled his eyes, more at himself I gathered, as he continued. "I just, Jesus this is hard you know? And then there's this guy and he's all kinds of weirdly friendly and has that whole creepy doctor vibe that doctors have. Those bastards can get you to tell them anything!"

He didn't like doctors then.

"And it's just… What are we doing?"

"Huh?"

"What are we doing? We've been coasting for a few days now, but I mean what about next week, next month, next year? I mean, do we keep our places? Sell them, what? And our jobs, how do we work our jobs around Jessica? Our lives? It's just…"

"Overwhelming," we both said in unison, then laughed at how ridiculous it sounded.

I tentatively walked closer to him and sat at the bottom of his bed.

"I don't know. I mean, I get a few more days off for personal reasons and then I have to go back to work. My schedule changes sometimes from week to week, but I mostly do days and one or two evenings. You said you do nights?"

"Yeah, it's when we're busiest so I kind of have to be around."

I nodded.

"So, how about you cover the day shift and I cover the night shift?" I cringed inwardly; Jessica and I already had a rocky history at night.

"Sounds good. And I'm the boss so I can take as much time off as needed really. Pam is a great manager, but that sounds good for now."

"About the whole … dating thing," he began, "Are you … I mean, that Bill guy, are you two?"

"What? Oh, no, no. We're done. We should have been done the second we started, but … Well, no he's not an issue."

I caught him staring at my boobs. Not hot my ass, Northman. The fact that I wasn't wearing a bra was totally accidental.

"What about you? How many dozen women have you on hold?" I smiled and he just rolled his eyes at me.

"None."

"Riiight."

"No really, I haven't been "dating" in awhile, I've just been—"

"Casually fucking anything with a pussy?"

"Ms. Stackhouse, how crude."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"If you must know, yes. To be honest, I have been seeing people … Casually. I didn't think I was ready for a commitment."

I laughed.

"And yet you got stuck with it anyway."

"Yeah, thanks Alcide." He chuckled.

"But right now, I think I need to just get my head straight, and maybe just chill."

"Look I don't care about the dating thing, this isn't a prison. But just … we should respect that this is each other's place, too."

"So, no wild monkey sex on the kitchen counters then?" He wriggled his eyebrows at me.

"Not during waking hours, and not if you don't bleach it afterward."

Not the answer he was expecting by the slight blush in his cheeks. What the heck?

"And everything else…" I added.

"Well, I like to work out," No, really Eric? Your twelve pack and distracting arms didn't tell me that. "I go running for an hour or so like … well, everyday if I can. I have my own gym in my place. I figured I can just bring the stuff here and use the garage or … the den?"

"Yeah, sure. I go to the gym when I can or when I get the time really. It's mostly been twice a week I fit it in, but I do like to run too. It helps me think."

He smirked and I was waiting for the sarcastic comment.

"Weird, seems like we have something in common after all. Has hell frozen over?"

"Maybe it has. My feet are a little cold, but maybe that's just my inner Ice Queen coming to the surface again."

"Mmmm, well it has been a whole hour since you last bitched me out. She's due a reappearance." He smirked as I made my way out the room.

"Good night, Eric."

"G'night, Queenie."

I was woken up by the screaming. I didn't take a second to adjust. I made my way to her room, and so did Eric it seems. Both of us ran smack into each other outside the door of her room.

"OW!"

"Shit."

I walked into his chest, almost knocking myself on my ass only to be caught by his arms.

"You okay?"

Groggily I muttered, "You have a hard chest…"

"Well, you have a hard head."

Glancing at the little clock in her room, it told me it was just after six.

"I'll see to her, you should go back to bed." I offered.

"Nah, it's fine. I wasn't really sleeping anyway. You can go back if you want? Looks like you're still asleep."

I was sure my bed hair gave that away. Eric picked her up and started to hush her.

I yawned. "No, it's fine."

"Sookie, go back to bed. For real, it's too early to argue with me, so just go. Jess and I will sort out her little mood and see if she'll go back to sleep. Honestly, go."

He attempted to give her the bottle, and shockingly she took it. Quieting her down ever so slightly, her little tears kept coming from her reddened eyes. Poor thing was so confused.

"If you're sure?"

"I am, I've got this." He went to sit in the rocking chair beside her crib as I wandered off to bed.

It seemed like I was asleep maybe a minute when my cell phone started to shrill. I looked at my alarm clock. It was in fact three hours later and almost nine thirty.

Damn, I did need to sleep.

"Hello?"

"Sook, its Ames. Listen, I have a crisis. Sophie has just called and she's coming to see the place today and wants you to give her a—and I quote—"thorough update" on all things that she needs to know."

"Shit! What is she doing back? She's supposed to be in Europe for another three weeks!"

"I know. She didn't say, but Sook, she didn't sound too happy. Lover-boy must have finally saw sense and dumped her ass."

"Shit. Just what I needed today. Fine, give me twenty minutes, I'll be there. Do me a favor? Pull the files for the last three months, and the money books. They're in the safe. I'll need to have them ready for her."

"No problem, see you soon."

"Yeah."

I'd hauled my ass out of bed, and showered in five minutes, leaving my hair dry. I slapped on some makeup—a little eyeliner never killed anyone—squeezed into my black pencil skirt, tucked in my sleeveless blouse and made my way downstairs holding my shoes.

"Eric?"

I speedily checked the house. No sign of him or Jess in either of their rooms or the living room.

"Er–" I found them both passed out on the couch in the den. Apparently, Eric's chest was Jessica's favorite place to doze off. Not that I blame her, it looked pretty awesome even from where I was standing.

I tapped his arm.

"Hey…" I whispered gently hoping I'd not wake the little madam.

"Hey." He squinted at me.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?"

He nodded before he scooped her sleeping self up and put her down on the couch surrounding her with cushions, and following me out to the kitchen.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about this, but I just got called into work. My bitch of a boss has decided that she wants to check things out, this week of all weeks, and the guys just can't handle her and her … quirks."

"Quirks? Is that hidden slang for crazy?"

"Lil' bit. I'm so sorry to do this, but really I hope to not be long; like maybe a couple of hours, if I can get rid of her. I know I said I'd be around, and I will be. We do have that appointment with Sam, Dr. Merlotte, today after three, and I really have to be there for that. I mean if you want I can—"

"Sookie, stop. It's fine, really. I can handle one little kid for a few hours."

"You're sure it's okay?"

"Sookie, it's fine. Go. We'll survive."

"But, ugh… this is annoying. I'm on leave for crying out loud. But Sophie … she's just…" I fussed with my hair. "She's incompetent."

"Your boss?"

"Mmm, honestly she has no right owning that place. She has no clue what it takes to run it every day. And then she swans in every few months and demands left right and centre for things to be done and shown a certain way."

"Damn."

"Exactly."

I pulled at my blouse straightening it as I slipped on my heels. Grabbed my cell, keys and purse.

"Okay, thank you thank you thank you." I rushed. "I won't be long, call me if you need anything."

I was out the door in seconds, still fussing with my hair.

EPOV:

For the second time in two days I'd wakened to the sight of Sookie stepping out of one of my fantasies. First, it was her Daisy Duke hotness, and then it was this cross between a sexy secretary or librarian or whatever it was she was going for. Either way, I wasn't complaining about the tight black skirt that encased her ass; I had to fight all my caveman urges to just take her over a desk somewhere. It seemed unreasonable that her boss was calling her in, particularly a few days after her cousin had just died. It was a shitty move, and one I as a boss, would never have pulled if something happened to Pam's family.

But as she rushed out the front door, I took the opportunity that was given me to watch that ass sway.

Good morning to me.

Despite being sleep deprived, something that was becoming too common an occurrence over the last few days, I dragged myself to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. I opened a few windows because even at nine a.m., it was already shaping up to be a hot southern day.

How was I going to entertain a one-year old on my own, with no source of back up? Hmm.

As I thought about what I could achieve in a few hours, I checked my phone—six missed calls from Ginger, two from Tiffany, three from Rachel… who was Rachel…? Oh, right. The girl from the bank that I'd gotten friendly with while opening a new account for the bar. She had a nice rack. I might call her back.

One call I couldn't ignore though, was from the only woman in my life that had lasted more than three days. Jessica was blubbering on the couch. Shit, I didn't meant to leave her there that long, I should have moved her to her crib. Damn.

"Hey… hey, little girl. Hey, it's okay." I scooped her up, and yep there was a diaper that just wasn't going to wait any longer. Three broken diapers later, I managed to secure one on her without the aid of duct tape. I was rather proud.

Back in the kitchen I decided scrambled eggs were the best bet, since I wasn't too sure on the rules for kids and actual food.

I stuck my pinkie finger in her mouth, and she did seem to have most of her teeth. Maybe a little sausage would be good? She had tiny bits of some at the wake and it didn't kill her. Ooh, maybe some toast, too. Man, I was starving so she had to have been ravenous.

"Okay, Jess. Let's get you fed, huh?" I cut her toast and spooned her eggs onto one of the plastic plates in the cupboard that had weird fish on them. Seriously? People were weird. Like she gave a shit what was on her plate underneath the food.

She gripped the little bits of egg and started to put them in her mouth as I spooned some to her while I fed myself.

"You want juice? Do you drink juice?"

I poured some apple juice into the cup with the two handles and the sippy top. Those things were handy. I might think of introducing them for the more clumsy customers at the bar. It would certainly save on the floor waxing bills.

After breakfast—most of which ended up on the floor rather than in her mouth—I decided that maybe a run would do us both a world of good. It would get the kid some air and I could work off some of my issues on the pavement.

Stroller. Where would you be if you were a stroller?

I searched the house, all the cupboards and the garage and even Hadley's car too, but no stroller.

Then it dawned on me, the car, in the accident. The stroller was probably in it, and probably totaled.

Shit.

"Well Jessica, it looks like we have to go shopping. You want to go shopping?"

Something came out that sounded like 'blooterbloo' but I couldn't be totally sure.

"Okay then!"

I decided to take Hadley's jeep since it was more accommodating for a kid, although Sookie was gone with the car seat in her car. I figured if just belted the kid in, no foul right? Just to be on the safe side I used all three belts, stretching them as far as I could so that she was really, really belted in.

Then I called Pam.

"Where would I buy a kids stroller?"

"A stro–" she sighed "Have you lost your balls too, want to go find them?"

"Pam, shut up. Now where would I buy one?"

"You're going shopping?"

"What gave it away?" I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration as Jessica and I sat in the parked car in the garage waiting for Pam to answer me.

"I'll meet you at the mall in twenty."

"No, Pam!" But she'd hung up. Really, any excuse to shop and she'd find it. This was no exception for her.

"Great Jessica, I guess we're spending the morning with Auntie Pam. God help us all."

She just sucked her sucky thing while holding the house keys.

We'd gone through six kid shops before we found a stroller that Pam deemed "appropriate." She also had me buy Jessica six outfits, four pairs of shoes, three hair things—why? I had no idea. The kid barely had hair!

We also had to stop in four more shops since, "We were already there and we may as well," which put a fine sum on my credit for more shoes. They were for Pam who informed me, "If I loved her I'd give her things," and since I did love her, I did. She really had me wrapped around her little finger.

It was after eleven when Pam and I stopped for coffee in Starbucks, when I got the text from Sookie.

Going 2 be a couple more hours

Hopefully she'll be done with her form of sadistic abuse soon.

I'm sorry

Sook

Jessica sat in the big comfy seat chewing her cookie happily, bouncing her newly shoed feet against the arm of the chair. Neiman Marcus and their staff now had a new customer, apparently.

"She's a cute kid. Being related to Alcide, there was always a chance she'd get the fugly nose, but thankfully she must have gotten the mother's instead."

"Mmm."

"She looks like Sookie." Pam mused.

She did a little. The eyes the nose, but I just assumed it was Hadley and Sookie looking so similar that did it.

"Well, she and Hadley looked kind of alike, so it's not really surprising."

"With those blue eyes she could pass for your kid, too. You had to have seen all that attention she got you in those stores."

"Pam, we got attention because you waved my Amex card around and because… I'm hot."

"Bastard."

"Bitch."

Jessica laughed. She actually laughed.

"Oh sure, take her side!" I tickled her.

"You're really into this whole kid idea then?"

"Pam. I've had to adjust."

"And in three days you've taken to the kid like a duck to water. It's really unsettling. I never saw you as the type to have kids."

"I parent you, don't I?"

"Ha." She deadpanned. "I got you a present."

"Did I pay for it?"

"No, jackass, I did." She reached for one of her many, many bags at her feet and handed me a Neiman Marcus bag. Inside that bag there was another bag. A diaper bag?

The hell?

"Huh?"

"Well." She sighed "I figured since you're like Mr. Mom now or whatever, you'd need one of those. Plus, it needs to be more manly than that." She pointed to the multicolored pixel bag that was for all of Jessica's stuff.

"Aw, well thanks, it's nice. I like it." It was brown and suede and very manly. It was actually useful too.

She nodded.

"So, what are you doing about your place? Are you and the Ice Queen gonna make it official and move in together or what?"

"It's not like we're 'moving in together'. We're not a couple. She has her life, I have mine, and we just … you know, co-parent, I guess."

"Uh huh… and how's that working out so far?"

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah, well I mean we argue and shit, but I don't know. I think things might get better."

"How?"

"She sort of told me that she's totally okay with me being me—whatever that means—and that we could totally do this if we just learned to respect each other's space."

"And is that something you think you can do?"

I nodded and looked at Jessica—bits of cookie all over her face, chocolate up her nose and around her chin.

"You know, I never wanted kids? Like, I never thought I was cut out for them, but I don't know… these last few days… It hasn't been easy or anything but it's a challenge. And—"

"Eric Northman doesn't back down from a challenge."

"No, he does not."

She raised her eyebrow at me. "So, is Sookie a challenge you'd be wanting to explore too, Eric?"

I smirked, not saying anything. That was enough for Pam.

"Oh, God help us all."

**A/N : Hi guys! So what did we think of chapter six? Big thank you for all my new readers, and my readers who followed me over from Rise By Sin - for reading and reviewing this baby! It really means so much and makes me grin like a fool! **


	7. Chapter 7

**SOV:**

Getting to the restaurant in record time, and without coffee in my system was nothing short of a miracle. I pulled into the lot to find Sophie's Benz was already situated in my spot.

_Bitch._

I hauled myself out of the car, fixing my skirt on the way in.

I was greeted by the solemn faces of Amelia, Tara, and the new girl, Sarah.

"The witch is in the office; she's fired Tommy."

"What?"

"Yep." Amelia chided in. "Said he was—and I quote—'too ugly to work here'. The poor kid was in silent tears by the time he left."

"Jesus."

I huffed a breath as I made my way to the office. "Sophie."

"Oh, Sookie! Good, you're here. How are you darling?" She sauntered over to air kiss both my cheeks.

"Not so good, Sophie. My cousin Hadley died a few days ago. And her husband."

"Oh dear. Oh that's not good news at all, is it." She pouted. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm dealing with it, but as you should have been notified I'm on personal leave for five more days. I cleared it with your father—"

"Oh, let's not talk about him. I'm so sick of him and his demands."

"Yes, but Sophie I have personal things I need to be dealing with. I left Tara in charge; was there a specific reason you asked for me this morning?"

She leaned farther back in the leather desk chair, putting her Louboutin adorned feet up on my desk.

"Yes, there was actually. I wanted you to hear it from me firsthand that I'm moving back to Louisiana. Full time."

Jesus Christ, no.

"What? I mean, why? I mean… What? But you hate it here. You hate this place; it's why you hired me as manager and left, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. It's just, well, daddy says I have to start taking an interest in all my investments, and this one being closest to home, I decided to focus on it. It's really time I learned what it takes to run this place by myself. I really do have wonderful leadership skills you know?"

Unless it was leading us all into a shopping mall. Yeah, I doubt it.

"And that's great Sophie, but I have to ask, do I still have a job?"

She giggled "Oh little, Sookie, of course you do! Who else am I going to learn from?"

Sweet mercy help me.

"I see."

"Daddy said that you'd been doing such a great job with this place, and I mean you really have. I've seen the profits, and for the climate I have to admit, I'm impressed with all your hard work, Sookie."

"Well, thank you. Sophie, I feel like I need to be completely honest with you here. When my cousin died, my circumstances changed."

"How so?" She tapped my pen to her ruby red lips, raising her perfectly waxed brow in my direction.

"I've been left guardianship of her daughter."

"Oh. Oh, I see. You have a … a… child now." She squinted as if the very thought of a baby sickened her.

"Yes I do. Eric and I are—"

"Eric?"

"Northman."

She paused.

"Not the Northman's Tavern, Northman, no?"

"One in the same." I agreed, taking the seat that wasn't my usual across from my desk.

"Are you two dating?"

"No. It was stipulated in their will that we both get legal custody of Jessica, so we'll be co-parenting. Which is why I'll be needing to make a few changes in my schedule."

"How many changes?"

"A few. Honestly, just making sure I work days not nights, and weekends off."

"Sookie…" she sounded doubtful.

"No, Sophie. You know I love this place as if it were my own, but I have a bigger responsibility now. One that I can't just ignore. I've trained Tara well, and she's more than capable of acting as a second pair of hands when I'm preoccupied."

"I'm sure, but she lacks your sunny demeanour that I adore so much." She smiled at me.

The thing about Sophie was, she could be as sweet as sugar one minute, and put the itch in bitch the next.

"I can give you nights, but not weekends."

"Saturdays off then."

"No."

"Yes."

"Sookie, no."

"Sophie, yes or it's a deal breaker. Saturdays off or you'll have to find yourself a new manager."

I held my ground. I knew how to handle her most of the time, but her showing up out of the blue and basically ruining how things were going here—my own little clockwork system—really pissed me off.

She rolled her eyes at me, "God Stackhouse, you drive a hard bargain."

That I did.

"It's why your dad hired me."

"Well that, and you can argue with me like no one else." She laughed.

She looked over the books, the menu, the staff, and the bookings, asking more than a few mundane and unnecessary questions before she deemed it okay for me to leave. But not before telling me that she was going to look over the roster of the staff for awhile.

I took my leave gracefully, reminding her I still had four days off and that if she needed anything to lose my number and use Tara's. She requested I not go all 'soccer mom' on her and just go home.

Before I did though, I stopped by the kitchen and got three lunches to go. Sure it was after two, but I was starving and food was food. Food by Lafayette was even better.

By the time I got back to the house, it was a little before three. There was no sound from anywhere except the loud obnoxious music coming from the den.

What I saw was unforgettable.

Jessica was standing on Eric's feet facing the TV; he held her hands up and he was bent over so he could reach was essentially dancing on his feet.

Dancing with his moves to "Single Ladies." Back and forth, side to side, in time with the music. I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop them from hearing my giggles. I couldn't help but pull out my Blackberry and press record as Eric sang out of tune telling us how if we liked it, we should have put a ring on it, while Jessica just giggled and bopped along.

It was by far the funniest thing I'd seen in a long while. No one Eric's size should be doing the Single Ladies dance, no matter how much he wanted us to '_put your hands up, oh oh, oh._'

I accidentally let a giggle slip, causing a shocked Eric to whip around facing me.

"SOOKIE! How long have you been standing there?"

Thankfully, I'd managed to hide my phone behind my back before he saw it.

"Not long at all, I just got here. Whatcha doing?"

He was blushing—that or he'd worked up quite a rosy glow from putting a ring on it. He scooped Jessica up into his arms and I noticed she was covered in chocolate.

"She been eating her way out of a chocolate factory?"

He looked at her as she then tried to bite his cheek.

"Yeah, I forgot the wipes. We've only been home about twenty minutes."

"Oh, you went out?"

"Yeah we went shopping. With _Auntie Pam_." He rolled his eyes. "But we needed a new stroller and a second car seat, both of which picked up."

"Shit! Right, I drove off with it in my car."

He nodded.

"It's fine, Pam helped. I mean she basically shops for a living. She's a pro."

I smiled.

"She also got me this."

He showed me his manly looking bag.

"It's a man bag." I pointed out the rather obvious.

"No, it's a _satchel._"

"Uh huh, and how does that differ from man bag?"

He looked confused, staring at it. "I … I don't know? But Indiana Jones has one." He smiled, proudly.

"Ah, I see... and because Indie has one, it's perfectly okay for you to have one." I nodded taking Jessica from him. She needed a bath.

"Hey, he's Harrison Ford. He makes man bags okay."

I just rolled my eyes. Guys... their logic failed me.

"You ever give a kid a bath before?"

He shook his head 'no'. "I hate baths. I mean, really when you think about it, it's kind of gross. Sitting in your own dirt, ugh."

"What do you think, people go play in mud beforehand? It's not dirty; it's nice, it's relaxing."

He sighed crossing his arms. "_Sure_. Oh, how'd you escape the boss?"

It was my turn to sigh as I told him all about her little surprise visit and just how she plans on ruining my perfectly set schedule, as we ran Jessica a bath.

"So, you don't have free run of the place anymore ?"

"No. I mean, it's not that I ever really considered it mine, you know? Of course, one day I'd have liked to have bought out Sophie's share. Her dad isn't a bad guy and he's a good businessman. He just has a seriously spoiled daughter who knows nothing about … well, most things."

I checked the water to make sure it was the right temperature before I threw in some toys and her bath seat—sliding her in—letting her slash up a storm while I tried to rid her of her coating of chocolate.

"Seriously, what was she eating?"

"A cookie. I don't know how she got pieces of it in her diaper; it wasn't even that big, or crumby." He looked confused as we found pieces of it everywhere, including in her ears. Seriously, what the hell?

"Okay, well I called the doctor's office on the way over. Sam can fit us in at four. That's good right?"

"Oh, Sam. Great."

"Eric, why are you being so sarcastic. He's just her doctor."

He mumbled something about 'flirting bastard' before leaving the room and coming back with a new shirt on, buttoning it up. "Yes fine, he's her doctor, and that's great, but does it mean I have to like the guy? No, it doesn't."

"Why don't you like him? You've spent like a second in the room with him. I don't get it."

"It's a guy thing."

"A guy… Okay, that's ridiculous. He seems lovely, and he's been nothing but polite and accommodating, and I think we owe him the same courtesy."

"Fine... I'll try, but I'm not promising anything." He scowled, leaning on the door frame.

I finally got the little miss clean. Wrapping her in one of the bigger towels, I took her to her room, closely followed by Eric.

"Okay Jess, what do you want to wear, huh? Dress or jeans? Or… shirt and top?"

She just looked at me.

"One day kid, these questions will make you late for work, trust me." Eric scoffed.

"Unlike men, who just roll out of bed and throw on the first thing they see and then expect us to swoon." I gave him a dirty look, even if his crisp white shirt on black jeans was rather attractive.

He slid up beside me to talk to the baby. "And one day Jessica, you'll understand that a guy cares very little for what you've got on, because..." and he looked at me, "We mostly just care about taking it off."

"You're a pervert."

"Hey, I'm just telling it like it is. You women worry so much about how you look and dress which, okay I get, and to a point it's understandable, but really? We don't care what label you wear; if it makes you look good—it could be a thousand dollars or it could be twenty. Either way, you're still naked underneath and that's free."

I rolled my eyes. "Jessica, please be a lesbian."

"Ha, they think the same thing, ask Pam. No wait... don't ask Pam, she's obsessed with labels. Ask someone… you know… Normal."

"Pam isn't normal?" I laughed.

"She's as normal as she can be, but I wouldn't change her."

"That's good to know. She doesn't strike me as the type of person to put up with that bullshit."

"Pam doesn't put up with any kind of bullshit, it makes her awesome … and a little scary," he mumbled.

After getting Jessica dressed and ready, I found the biggest bib I could and draped it around her to get her to eat.

Of course, that was easier said that done. She refused to eat.

"She just had a cookie?" I asked as Eric and I tucked into our late lunches.

"Yeah, and a few sips of juice. She should be hungry."

But she wouldn't take the spoon for me, no matter what noises I made or what flying object I imitated.

"Here, let me try." Eric said taking the spoon from me, and the little madam took it on the first try.

I tried my best not to pout.

Eric beamed, of course. "Huh, I guess she likes me better."

He must have seen the hurt in my face.

"No, no, no, I was kidding. Sookie, come on. She's a kid; she doesn't know any better!"

"But you do!" I all but screeched.

"True, but come on, I was being sarcastic."

"Well, stop. I already think she doesn't like me very much, and _this_ just proves it."

"Just because she was being a fussy eater? Sookie, really?"

"Yes, I know it's petty, but I've had a really bad day. I don't need this too."

He looked at me with innocent eyes as he fed Jessica her chicken. "Sorry."

I could have made a big deal out of the fact that he actually apologized for something, but I let it slide. I was too tired to argue with him.

By the time we were pulling into the parking lot of the doctor's office, I was a nervous wreck and Jessica was a sleepy mess.

I took her out of her new car seat that took both Eric and I at least ten minutes to figure out how to use. Seriously, why where they so complicated?

We walked into the waiting room mostly full of mother's with their sick kids, and not surprisingly, they all one after another, gave Eric flirty looks. Had I been his girlfriend or wife, I might have been pissed. As it was, I was just amused. He pretended not to notice, but of course he was smirking to himself.

Dr. Merlotte saw us not long after we arrived, thank God. I, of course, shook his hand and made small talk before we sat down. Eric just shook his hand and went into silent mode.

"Well, Hadley had her checked out over a week before the accident, so I wasn't expecting to find anything out of the ordinary. That, and if the doctors at the hospital didn't find anything, I can safely say she's as healthy as she's ever been. Aren't you sweetheart?" He took the light and the stick from her throat gently when he'd finished looking. Which made her cry, of course. "Honestly, Sookie … Eric you both have nothing to worry about."

I was fussing with trying to get her to calm down, and finish the conversation since Eric had decided that now was the time to become mute.

"I know, Sam but honestly it's just to put my mind at ease—both our minds at ease—that there are no allergies or anything that we might have been on the verge of setting off. It's a relief. And I know I must sound so nuts nitpicking. I never thought that I'd be one of those people!" I rambled. I was nervous, but Sam just nodded and smiled like he'd heard it all before.

"Well, it's what I'm here for. If you have any questions or concerns at all, don't hesitate to call, really."

Honestly, I could almost feel Eric roll his eyes. When I failed to placate the baby he took her from me, and wouldn't you know, she just hushed right up. I swore they were in this together.

"I'll take Jessica to get settled in the car." He finally spoke. "Sam." He nodded before taking his leave.

Sam smiled raising his brows in Eric's direction. "I see he's as pleasant and talkative as ever."

"Yeah, I'm not sure what his deal is to be honest."

"Jessica seems to like him." He pointed out.

"She's one. She also likes to try and eat her feet, so I don't trust her judgement just yet."

He laughed. He had such a gentle and easy laugh, it was almost comforting.

"Really Sookie, you need to give yourself a break. You're doing a great job with her so far, so just try and relax. No one's perfect."

"I know, it's just... I'm …we. Eric and I, we're all she's got, you know? It's a little … a lot frightening."

He nodded.

"Most first time parents feel the exact same way, but it does get easier. It might not seem like it, but you'll find your feet soon, I promise. And when you do, you'll wonder what life was like before she fell into your lap."

"Life before was a lot less chaotic, I'll tell you that."

"Jessica aside, how are you holding up?"

"I'm running on coffee. I think that if I take a second to think what this all means I'll just lose it, and I can't do that right now. She needs me."

"She has Eric too, and as … hostile as he is to me, he seems to have a way with her. You should lean on him, you'll need each other."

"True. But Eric and I, well, we have a rather complicated history."

"Ex?"

"No. We didn't get that far."

"Really? Because I was sensing some serious sexual tension." He laughed.

"No. Seething hatred and sexual tension are two _very_ different things."

"Is it that bad?"

I thought about it, and really, it could have been a lot worse. Then again, we were only a few days into forever.

"I'll get back to you on that." I made my way to the door. "Thanks again, Dr. Merlotte."

"Sam." He said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Thank you, Sam."

**EPOV:**

It wasn't that he was that bad, and it wasn't that he was necessarily a douche—even if he looked like one. It was watching her sway into his office on those heels, in that skirt, with that ass, and be sweet and light and flirty with Dr. Love. I mean, really, he was a kids doctor. Did he make it a habit of flirting with and eye fucking ALL the mothers? Or just the ones living in their cousin's house with a guy she wasn't dating, raising a kid that wasn't hers?

No, I didn't think so.

Of course, I got an eyeful of some of the mothers in the waiting room, or rather, they got an eyeful of me. I'd always been equal rights on ones sexual freedom. If a girl had sex with a dozen guys, it doesn't make her a slut any more than it makes a guy who's had the same number of partners. Sex was sex and I didn't begrudge anyone anything sexual as long as both, or all parties were agreeable. What was there to lose? These women though, they were like, obsessed, and not in a good way. They looked me up and down to the point where I was getting dizzy, and then there was the whispering. I hated whispering. If you had something to say, just say it.

Thankfully, Doctor Spock saw us before I could get any more uncomfortable.

That's when the hell began. It started off friendly enough, but then she started to ramble and ask all kinds of questions, I for one, would never have thought of. But it was her bouncing her crossed legs, making her boobs jiggle that got to me, and the hair touching was another flirty sign that I didn't like. Especially since it wasn't aimed at me at all. Doctor Who was basically salivating, being all smiley and charming and disgustingly flirtatious with this woman who was just asking for his medical opinion while he yanked Jess around with his light pen and thermometer. She was about as impressed with this mess as I was.

I took my leave and got her settled in the car again, mastering the car seat in under five minutes this time.

I rolled down the windows of the jeep, hopefully letting as much air in as possible. I had hoped the evening setting in would cool the temp a bit, but I was wrong. It was hot as hell.

Speaking of hot as hell, out she walked from the building, tight black pencil skirt working for it's money, heels that made me want the feel of them digging into me as I fuc—

"Seriously Eric, be more rude next time. I don't think he's got message."

"What? You had all the questions. I was just there to find out anything important, which I'm sure he would have brought up, which, by the way, he didn't."

"Yes, but really would it kill you to be pleasant?"

"It might..." I said as we drove off in the direction of home.

_Home._

Was it home? It didn't feel like home, not to me. It felt like a guest house, or a hotel; it felt like we were house sitting, waiting for Alcide and Hadley to come home from vacation or something. Nothing in it was my own, except my clothes, and even they were sparse since I'd packed light.

It was all very odd, and something I felt in that moment that I'd ever get used to.

Over the next couple of weeks, Sookie, Jessica and I fell into a weird routine. We got up together; had breakfast; I went for a run then came back to watch the kid while Sookie ran some errands; checked in with Pam a few times a day just in case she burnt my business to the ground; played with the kid till she needed a nap; ignored some calls and texts from my various 'dates' over the last six months—I just didn't have the time, or if I'm honest, the energy to deal with them… Then, I'd pretend not to watch Sookie do her Yoga or Pilates or whatever the hell she was calling her daily stretching in the backyard.

I wasn't being a pervert about it, but really, when there was a hot ass woman in tight stretchy pants and a sports bra stretching herself all over the yard, it was hard - ahem - not to take notice.

A few people stopped by the house every now and then, mostly to introduce themselves, or be nosy, or both.

They brought food, as seems to be the custom, so neither I nor Jessica was complaining about the copious amounts of pie and homemade ice-cream that kept appearing in the fridge. Of course, it kept reminding me that I'd need to bring my gym equipment over sooner rather than later if I kept up these eating habits. Normally when it was just me, I lived on microwaved food, pop tarts and beer. Now it was three square meals a day; it was a shock the system.

Mid-morning, after her usual hour of bending around to some fruity music on her iPod, Sookie came in from the yard, a healthy sheen of sweat and a smile on her face as she bounced in search of some water.

"God, it's so hot outside. It's insane for this time of year. Usually we don't get the heat waves till June."

"Global warming." I offered finishing off my apple and dumping it in the trash.

"Huh, I guess. I never thought about it really. I mean, I know at the restaurant we do the whole changing the bulbs, recycling everything, but I can't say I keep it up at home. I might have to do something about that."

Just as she was about to muse on something else, her cell phone rang—Beyonce's "Single Ladies" ringing out—and since she'd been hinting at and teasing me about putting rings on things and having a man on her hips for over a week, it was clear she lied when she said she wasn't standing in the doorway all that long.

Now what can I say, I work in a bar where popular music is played. The kid, she likes it, and I'm man enough to admit that if it stops her crying, I'd dance with her to anything she wanted.

As long as Sookie wasn't watching again, that shit was just asking for trouble.

Her face lit up when she answered her phone. I almost choked on air when I heard that it was Sam. Seriously, he's taking to calling her now? Does this guy ever work?

"Hi. No, yeah I know. Well, no things have been quiet—some neighbours stopped by with their condolences and of course, a whole array of food again. Yeah, I know. No, no it was nice of them, even if all the ladies wanted to do was flirt with Eric." She smiled at me before she turned around again. She was playing with her hair; she was flirting and he couldn't even see it.

Not that I cared, she could flirt and make doe eyes at whoever she wanted—and so could I.

Question was, why wasn't I?

I mean, I'd ignored calls for various hot and willing women so I could sit in, nursing a one-year old and watching old movies with Sookie? Really?

"This Friday? Like, four days from now? Oh, uh. No I'd love to, but I usually cover nights with Jessica since I'm back to work and all now. Eric has her during the day …"

She looked at me again, probably hinting that maybe I'd step in and cover for her so she could more than likely date Doctor Spock.

Erm, no. I pretended to read the paper.

"Uh, Sam can I maybe get back to you? Yeah of course, it does sound nice. Of course, I'll call you soon… Okay. Bye."

By the time she hung up, she was all blushing and bashful.

"So, you're dating the Doctor now?" I said without looking up from my paper.

"If you must know, he asked me out on a date, but I told him I wasn't sure."

She knew I'd heard the conversation, right?

"Uh huh."

"I mean, he wants us to go to dinner; maybe a movie or something."

"And the big doe eyes and hopeful smile is to convince me to say 'Hey Sook, how about I take over and give you that night off so you can have free time—to date Doctor Douche."

"Eric. He's not a douche. He's actually really nice."

"Nice? That's_ so _hot." I rolled my eyes.

"Not every girl wants to date an asshole, and not every girl is attracted to the 'bad boy' no matter how many notches you have in that bedpost of yours."

"You're right, some girls want the boring, tiny, dull—probably as dull in bed as he is in conversation—guy. I can totally see the appeal in that."

She rolled her eyes at me.

"So will you?"

"Will I what?"

"You're really going to make me ask?"

I grinned at her. Yes, yes I was.

"Fine. Eric, would you do me this one favor so I can have the possibility of pleasant adult conversation and a good meal with the nice man?"

"While he tries to feel you up under the table…"

"Eric!"

I smiled, she was too easy to rile up. Besides, Dr. Boring would be too dull to even try and feel her up in public. Mores the pity, Sookie needed to be felt up, everywhere, all the time.

"Fine yes, I'll take the shift."

She beamed.

"Thank you. See, you can be sweet when you put your mind to it." She hopped out of her chair and over to me. My agreement earned me a kiss on the cheek before she all but bounced into the other room, her cell glued to her ear.

Man, I hated that guy.

A/N: Hey peeps! Sorry for the slight delay, work, life, and the flu have gotten in the way. So it's why I've been slower than usual! Plus I'd been working on my other story, **Rise by Sin** which is angsty goodness so check it out if you haven't already! : D

Thank you again for all the reviews, alerts and pms they're too awesome, and it really makes me beam to know you guys are enjoying this as much as I am! x


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Still with me so far? Thank you so much for all the adds, and messages and reviews, I was flu ridden for a few days there, and they were awful so all the thoughts on the story cheered me right up so *Big smooches* to all of you! :D Enjoy! X **

**SPOV:**

Sam and I had kept in contact, usually by text but sometimes by calling. a few times after our appointment at his clinic. Since I didn't really know many people in Hadley's part of town, it was nice to have a friendly face in the crowd. The neighbours had dropped by, some to say hello, some to flirt with Eric, some to flirt with me - much to the dismay of their wives of course. But the majority of them came to nosy. I was getting used to the neighbors dropping by, for one reason or the other. It was the thing to do; people had died tragically and they wanted to know who we were and what we were doing in their home. Most of them had attended the wake and funeral, but considering neither Eric nor I really took the time to introduce ourselves they took it upon themselves to do it for us.

There was Mrs Fortenberry; she was in her early forties with a little boy, a few months older than Jessica. His name was Hoyt. I heard he was a 'surprise'; so much so, that her husband of almost eighteen years up and left her when she found out she was pregnant. But she was seeing the mail man now and his name was Mike.

Then there was Dawn Green. She was one of the 'flirt with Eric' contingent of the neighborhood. Essentially, she was a trophy wife for Aston Green, an ex-football player that was never at home. A few of the older residents would stop and say hello every now and then when either I or Eric would take the baby out for a walk - or in Eric's case, when he ran. How he managed to run and keep her occupied was beyond me, but it worked. Usually if he left it for later, he'd take her and tell me she'd be out like a light in less than ten minutes. I wasn't going to test or question his theory.

Eric and I sort of fell into this little routine of meals together, naps apart, and workout when she slept. It seemed to work, kind of. But when I went back to work—dealing with Sophie on a near daily basis was enough to test anyone's patience—if I was honest, it was coming back home that was causing me the most grief. Jessica made it very clear which co-parent she preferred. Nap time she was great with me; bedtime, so completely another story.

She cried, she sobbed, she gave me those big blue eyes that were rimmed red and said 'well you're not the big cuddly Swedish man, and I don't like this one bit.' And there wasn't a thing I could do, because Eric had started going into the bar bit by bit so the nights where mine with her, till he finished at four a.m.

It seemed that Eric didn't require a lot of sleep to function—maybe five, six hours and he was up. I knew this because the maniac that he was, fell out of bed every morning and did one hundred sit-ups. How do I know this you ask? The walls were thin, and he counted out loud. It was kind of annoying.

Sam and I were another story. Our conversations were innocent at first, and then it quickly turned to flirting. I can't say I didn't enjoy it. It had been a good long while since I'd really put effort into flirting with a guy and doing it via text somehow seemed easier. He'd hinted at asking me out, and I'd hinted at saying yes.

I'd wanted to put Bill and that whole disaster of a relationship behind me. Sam was his opposite—he was sweet and attentive, and not afraid of using the number keys to type—whereas Bill was a complete technophobe. I knew Eric didn't like him. His 'guy thing' excuse didn't wash with me, but I didn't want his opinion of Sam to color my opinion. So, when Sam asked me out, I got excited. When Eric finally relented and agreed to mind the baby, I was guilt free and confirming our date as soon as I dialled his number. We agreed on something simple—a movie, some dinner, and good conversation.

Lord knows I was in need of some of that. Between Sophie and her demand, Jessica and her baby talk, and Eric with his sarcasm and innuendo, I was looking forward to a good old-fashioned, civilized conversation.

Having gone to my apartment the day before with Amelia and Tara in tow, we managed to pack up my life there in just under four hours. If you don't count the two hours spent drinking wine and eating pizza, that is.

"How long have you lived here?" Tara asked wrapping my photo frames in newspaper to box.

"Six years next march. So like, five years?"

"Damn."

"Quinn hated this place." I mused.

"I hated Quinn." Tara scoffed.

"I know. You told me often enough."

"Girl, he was a twat and once a twat..."

"Always a twat. Yes, Tara, you have me schooled."

"What about Bill?" Amelia asked bursting the bubble wrap instead of actually using it.

"He… didn't spend that much time here. I would always have to go to his place."

"Have you seen him since the funeral?"

"No. He's called a couple of times and left annoying voicemails, but I've ignored them."

"He wants to get back together?"

"Pretty much. He kept telling me that he'd overlook my little 'problem' if it meant us being together again, and he was sorry for my loss, and Jessica really wasn't my responsibility."

"Asshole!" They said in unison.

"Yep." I sealed one box and laid it by the door.

"What about the other not-so-asshole?" Ames asked smiling.

"Eric?"

"Well you two have made it almost a month now, no one's been injured or killed, that's a good sign, right?"

I shrugged. "He's alright."

"Just alright?"

"Okay, so he's not the devil I once saw him to be. He's amazing with Jessica. I mean, it's unfair how good he is with her. She just adores him, and he makes it all look so easy. I hate that about him." I laughed. "No, I mean, he's been really solid with her. I can't fault him there."

"And with you?" Tara quirked her brow.

"What's with the brow action? He's been his usual charming self with me, I don't know?"

"Seriously? Nothing?" She looked at Amelia.

"Nothing what?"

They looked at me.

"Girl, you've seen him, right?"

"Ugh... not this again."

"Look, I don't get what's not epic here. He's single, you're single, you live in the same house … he has lick-able abs, you need to get laid… Really, need I paint the full picture here?" Tara preached.

"Uh, forgetting one thing."

"What's that?"

"We hate each other? There is absolutely no attraction there whatsoever. And besides, even if there was—WHICH there ISN'T—but even if there was, it would be a horrible, horrible idea. We're co-parents, and that's it. We both have our lives and just … Jessica is our only common interest."

Well that and old Hollywood movies, strawberry ice-cream, and chilli. But that was it.

"Seriously, you're not attracted to him, at all? Even when he's all like ovary exploding cuteness with Jess?" Amelia asked.

"Look, giant semi-attractive men being all sweet with cute babies is … well, it's genetically ingrained in us to find that shit cute. That doesn't mean I want to jump his bones."

"You should jump his bones, it might calm you both down."

"Tara!""

"What! You know I'm right. Either way, you need to get laid. You're too hot to be this … Celibate."

"Well, for your information, I have a date. Friday. With a doctor."

They both stared at me. I just smugly carried on packing.

"Excuse me?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Details! Now, bitch."

I rolled my eyes. "He's Jessica's doctor; we met last month and we kind of hit it off. I mean, he's great, I think? I don't really know all that much about him. Well, other than Eric hates him."

"Why does Eric hate him?" Tara demanded to know, hand on hip as usual.

"Because Eric is judgemental and prissy." I shrugged, I still didn't get the hate. He didn't even know the guy!

"So, the date?" Amelia asked changing the subject ever so slightly for me.

"Dinner and a movie, maybe. Who knows? I'm excited though. It's been awhile since I've had a first date."

"First dates are fun." Tara mused.

"Is Eric seeing anyone?" Amelia asked, finally using the bubble wrap to actually wrap.

"You're both awfully concerned about Eric."

"No, I'm just nosy." She smiled.

"He doesn't 'date' … I mean, I don't think. I'm sure he's getting laid on the regular though. He's not too picky, I don't think."

"Did he tell you that?"

"Well, no … But I mean, I just… it's… Can we just stop talking about Eric please?"

"Touchy."

"Do you guys talk at all? I mean do you know anything about the guy?"

Tara always did like to push a topic.

"I know enough."

"Like?"

"Tara what is this the _Eric _hour?"

"You've been living with the guy for a month and you can't tell us anything personal about him. Are his parents alive? Does he have siblings? Has he ever been in a long term relationship…?"

Huh, weirdly I knew none of these things.

"You know I ran into him the other day." Amelia said.

"Where?"

"At Whole Foods. He was there with Jessica, looking confused in the baby food section. It was too cute. He totally talks to her like an adult."

"Yeah, Eric doesn't do 'baby talk'."

"Did... I mean, did you guys talk?"

"Briefly. We made small chit-chat. He asked me how I was, I coo'd over Jessica for a bit—she was covered in yogurt that he'd let her open while sitting in the cart—she'd ruined her dress… He asked if I'd seen you at work and how you were really coping with the boss being back."

That piqued my interest. "And what did you say?"

"I was honest. I said it was stressing you out, but you were dealing. No biggie."

Great, now he probably thought I was incompetent.

"Hmph." Tara huffed.

"Yes?"

"Just, seems to me that the asshole cares more about your well-being that you do his. That's not very friendly, Sookie."

"What? Tara, I care."

She rolled her eyes.

"I do! It's just we're not like that. There are no big, stupid, deep conversations. I mean, we talk but it mostly involves Jessica or the house or work or it evolves into sarcasm and one of us stomps off."

Usually me, and I think they knew that.

"You fail, Stackhouse." Tara sassed.

"Shut up and pack, whore." I smiled.

Rooting through the three racks I'd just finished lining up, I yanked yet another dress.

"This one?" I held up the dress from the walk-in closet, to which Eric said "eh."

"Eh bad, right?"

"Eh, is eh, Sookie. It's green and kind of fluffy. That is not a date dress."

I rolled my eyes.

"This?"

"No."

"But, it's new!"

"But, it's horrible. _No_." He imitated me.

It was the third dress I'd shown him and he'd vetoed it on me. Really, he disliked Sam so you'd think he'd approve the f-ugly clothes to spite him, but no. I asked Eric for a 'guys' opinion, and he was shockingly, giving it willingly, with Jessica bouncing around on my bed. He sat on the end shouting his opinions at me.

"What about this?" I said coming out with my black, backless dress on.

He looked, then told me to turn. Of course he was checking out my ass, but since I was nervous and needed an opinion I'd just have to deal with it.

"Well?"

"It's hot, but … I don't know."

"Dude... Jesus, hurry up. He'll be here in like ten minutes!"

"Any other options?"

After an hour of this, I was convinced he was just fucking with me and enjoying the pain of making me change clothes, and drag the crap that I'd just unpacked out of the wardrobe again.

I tried on the first of my last two options. It was red, fitted and short, though it was a shift dress. It was silk and I thought it was sexy. For good measure, I slipped on my towering black heels.

The look on his face was priceless. It was almost like he didn't know where to look first, but he did and he started with my legs, and very slowly worked his way up. I swear I didn't get a shiver when his eyes reached mine. I really, really didn't.

"Well?"

He closed his mouth and coughed a little. "It uh…It's …"

"Good... bad?"

He stood up suddenly and walked over to me, making my bedroom seem so much smaller suddenly. He walked around me in a slow circle. I could feel his eyes on me.

"Hmm, he doesn't deserve this dress." He said quietly in a voice that could make a girls toes curl.

I still didn't look him in the eye though. "Why's that?"

"This dress says things that Doctor Douche just isn't ready for."

He circled me again.

"Like what?"

He smirked. "Like, I'm wearing this to make myself feel hot, to look hot, to make you as the guy, feel hot… and to _imagine _what it would be like to slide this dress up to your hips, while kissing your neck and finding out for sure if you can conceal underwear in a dress that fitted."

It was my turn to clear my throat a little. "Really, you get _all_ that from a dress?"

His eyes finally met mine, and I swear what I saw in them made me want to cross my legs tight for fear of what I might do.

"I get all that from _you_, in that dress."

Just as he leaned away from me, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." He said scooping Jessica up and throwing her over his shoulder, earning a giggle from her.

"Eric!"

"Yes?"

"Be nice!"

He smiled at me from the door. "Aren't I always?"

I was so screwed.

**EPOV:**

"You're selling the apartment?" Pam slammed the paper down on my desk.

"Well, yes trying to. The market is in the shits though. If I don't get a bite then I'll rent it out or something."

"So, this is the real deal then. You and Sookie and the kid?"

"Well… Yeah. Pam did you think I was just playing?"

She flopped down on the chair in front of my desk. "No, I just… Shit honestly, I never expected you to last more than a week."

"Thanks, Pam. Your vote of confidence is just awesome."

"Oh please, you went out of your way to make sure none of the bitches you were fucking got knocked up. Excuse me for not thinking that father of the year was on the agenda for you."

I guess she did have a point.

I just shrugged. There was no point getting into a verbal slinging match with her; it was late and I was tired.

"So, I've packed up my stuff and I'm having it shipped over to the house tomorrow. Sookie, she got her stuff the other day. For a chick who lived alone, she had a LOT of boxes."

Pam smiled.

"Welcome to the world of women. Domestically we are a whole other breed."

Oh, awesome.

"How is little country bumpkin? She still think I'm a hooker?" She chuckled.

"No, she was pretty mortified about that. She's … you know…Sookie."

"You know that I don't know her, right?"

"Yeah, but …It…Well, what do you want to know?"

"Is she single?" She asked hopefully.

"She's straight."

"I get that, asshole. I'm just asking."

"Yes, I believe she is."

"And you and she—" She wriggled her brows at me.

"Pam, we've been over this."

"That was like a month ago, let's go over it again."

"Pam, I have work to do, I'm dead tired. Can you go annoy someone else?"

"Nope, I enjoy annoying you too much. Do you like her?"

"What are you, twelve?"

"Well do you?"

"She's… opinionated, bossy, and high strung." I thought for a second. "But she's not as icy as I once thought. She has her moments where the fun chick buried under all her twitchy angst gets out, and she, I like."

"And the twitchy angst ridden Sookie?"

"Needs to chill, but she's fine. She's trusting my judgement a little more. But she's a stickler for the 'schedule'—there are colored post-it notes on the refrigerator, Pam."

She scoffed.

"Sounds to me like she could use a little distracting."

"Such as…?"

She looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, which meant sex.

"Come on."

"I thought you said you liked a challenge?"

"I do, usually. But she's … it's different. If we hooked up, it would just complicate things even more, and things are pretty damn complicated already."

"So you don't want her?"

"I never said that."

"The Eric Northman I know, usually never lets anything get in his way."

"Pam."

"What? She's hot, and if she played for my team I'd be all over those amazing boobs of hers. Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"

"I have eyes don't I?"

"_So?"_

"So what?"

"So, accept the challenge and go for it."

I just gave her my best look of dismissal—she finally took the hint and turned on her high heels and left my office.

Truth was, yes, I was attracted to Sookie. What straight guy with a good set of working eyes wouldn't be? She was beautiful. And yes, I had many times thought of what sex with her would be like. She was, after all, the one the game hadn't worked on. Well, besides Pam but that was through no fault of mine. I mean, it wasn't my fault I wasn't born with the necessary equipment to entice her.

But Sookie was different.

I wasn't exactly sure how different, or even why, but she was. So, when she asked with those big pleading blue eyes if I'd give her a guys opinion on her date attire, I wanted to say no. I mean shit, if this was for Sam? What the hell did I care what she wore? She could wear a sack and he'd still be salivating, the little creep.

But I indulged her because she was nervous. I knew she was nervous because she kept tucking and un-tucking her hair behind her ears. She'd done that the day we picked up Jessica, and during the funeral as she read the words she'd written for her cousin and Alcide, and she was doing it again at warp speed.

"Fine." I huffed, grabbing Jessica out of her playpen before Sookie sang a chorus of "thank you's" at me while doing what I'd discovered was her 'Happy Dance'—yes, she had an actual happy dance. Though to be honest, she just looked kind of special hopping up and down, clapping her hands like an idiot. But she was smiling, so that was a plus.

She rooted through some boxes, some bags, and of course her wardrobe while I changed Jessica into her sleep suit. It had feet and it was made of fleece; it was kind of awesomely comfortable looking.

"La. Lala Bah." she sang to herself as she crawled around. She was always mumbling something that couldn't be described as real words to herself.

"Do you think maybe she should be talking by now?" I shouted to Sookie who was ass deep in clothes inside her walk-in closet.

"I don't know, maybe? I don't really know when kids start fully talking. Maybe we should be practicing with her more?" Came her muffled reply.

"Maybe." I grabbed her off the pillows on the very neatly made bed. I noticed how the whole room smelled like Sookie, sweet and fresh.

"Hey Jessica, can you say ERIC? Er-rick?" she just stuck her fist in her mouth.

I tried again.

Nothing.

"Guess not."

Sookie came out with one option after another, and I have to admit that it was a little fun to watch her get all flustered.

She came out in a green thing that was just scary, a blue thing with ruffles, a pink number that made her look like Barbie gone wrong, and then a black number. The black I liked—it was fit for her body and showed off her legs. But I enjoyed screwing with her too much to approve it right away, and that's when the red dress appeared.

And my God did it have an impact. It was then her turn to screw with me. That dress was sex. It was the only way to describe it. She'd pulled on these sky scraping heels that made her legs look unbelievable, and of course made me wonder how they'd feel wrapped around me while I worked on finding out just what was under that sex dress.

I saw that my words had an effect on her—since I could have sworn I saw her fight back a shiver—and to be honest, I was fighting a few urges myself.

Just as I was about to say 'screw the rules, screw the awkward afterwards' and taste her neck, Doctor Cock-block rang the doorbell.

I took the baby and made my way to the door, to find him standing there like a chump, in a suit, with flowers.

He really was a walking cliché, it was embarrassing.

"Eric."

"_Sam."_

"Jessica." He smiled, while she just clung to my neck again. She'd be getting an extra cookie.

"So, is Sookie ready?"

"No, she's being a girl and fussing about her outfit. You can wait in the living room."

I pointed him in the right direction.

He shuffled in awkwardly behind me, and just as I put Jessica back in her playpen he sat down.

Neither of us said a word, and he struck me as the kind of guy that didn't like awkward silences, or any silence, as he looked around while tapping his foot on the floor.

"So, what's the plans for tonight?" I asked if only to get him to stop the damn tapping.

"Uh, dinner I guess, then maybe a movie, or movie then dinner. I'll let Sookie decide what she wants to do. The place is pretty flexible with their reservations."

"Oh, where?"

"Andre's?"

"Oooh..." I hissed "Don't order the fish, or the chicken…OR the steak."

"God, why?"

"I heard through my manager that his manager was uh, cutting some corners? And the food suppliers weren't calling as often as they should have been, if you get me."

"Ew."

"Yeah. Shame to. Mostly everywhere else is fully booked at this time of night." I tried to sound like I cared, but any tool that books Andre's for a date with a woman needs to be slapped. Not only was their décor warped and trapped in the eighties, but their food too.

"So you and Sookie finding your feet with Jessica then?"

"Yep."

"Oh." He tapped on the arm of the chair, obviously struggling on what to say next.

Thankfully Sookie put him out of his misery by appearing in the doorway.

"Hi."

"Oh. Hi." He stood up and grabbed his … rather cheap looking boutique of flowers, and made his way over to her.

God, it was all so awkward. This is why I hated dating.

Sookie and Doctor Love made awkward small talk before she said that she'd be ready in just a second and if he wanted to go to the car, she'd be right out.

He smiled, she smiled. It was all very nauseating. And like a good little bitch, he did as she asked.

"Okay. Do I look okay?" She asked me, losing her cool demeanour instantly. She was back to panic mode. Shit, did all women do this?

"I see you went with the black dress. I guess he's not getting the sex dress tonight then?"

She rolled her eyes.

"You might be used to shagging up a storm on the first date, but I am a lady, and ladies do not do that."

"Some do."

"Trust me, they don't."

"You're right. Real ladies stiff a guy for nearly a thousand dollars worth of plonk."

She giggled.

"You _really _need to get over that, Northman."

She was walking to the door to leave, when I realised I hadn't answered her question.

"Sook?"

"Yeah?"

"You look beautiful."

I saw the pink tint her cheeks, and it was intoxicating. I wanted to make her blush again; I wanted to see her smile like that again.

"Thanks, Eric. Have a good night, and if there are any problems, call me okay?"

I just nodded as she joined Doctor Douche for their 'date'. Did I mention that I hated that guy?

Jessica and I parked on the couch, while I texted Ginger back, finally. I gave her some lame excuse about being busy and wondered if she'd want to meet up for a drink the next night I was working.

She agreed, of course. Ginger was a lot of things, none of them smart, and she wasn't actually 'ginger' either. She was blonde, which always made me question her name. Either way, she was excellent at distracting me from my boredom for a time, and I needed that. If Sookie was dating, then why the hell shouldn't I?

I was explaining the rules of basketball to a very bored and sleepy Jessica who was dozing off on my chest, when the door bell rang. It was just after nine-thirty.

I laid her down in her playpen on her blanket, freeing me to open the door.

"Megan?"

"Hi, I hope this isn't a bad time?"

She smiled.

Oh shit, I guess this was surprise visit time.

**A/n 2 : Dun dun dunn. The social worker is baaack! I'm a very visual person, so before I can write a scene in a place I have to 'see' it first. And if you guys have any interest in this nonsense I can put the links in the profile if you're interested? Yay, nay? Let me know! x  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey babes! Here's chapter nine! Thank you so much for the love in the reviews it's so beyond awesome I can't even tell you! Keep it up I love it! :DSo, uh, how do we feel about drunk! Sookie? *giggles***

**SPOV:**

"Was Eric rude?" I asked getting into the car.

"Is Eric ever anything else?" He smirked.

"I'm so sorry. I really don't know what his problem is."

"_I'm_ his problem. I'm moving in on his territory and he doesn't like it."

"Territory? How… caveman of you both." I raised my brow.

"No, I don't mean you're the—I mean it's …"

"A guy thing?" I used Eric's words.

"Yes, exactly. It's a guy thing."

"But I'm not Eric's, I'm my own."

"We know that and still... he's protective over you. That's all."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, protective? Hardly. He and I … it's so messed up. We hardly ever get along, we're constantly arguing and driving each other nuts. I definitely don't think Eric would care who or what I dated as long as it didn't disturb his work schedule."

"Doesn't seem that way to me." He shrugged.

"Trust me, it's nothing like that at all. We're barely friends and honestly if this hadn't happened, I doubt I'd ever have seen him again in my life. He and I are just complete opposites." I laughed, then realized I'd spent the first ten minutes of my first date in almost two years, talking about another guy.

Good move Sookie.

"I'm sorry. Enough about him, how are you? How is work?"

We small talked our way to the restaurant and I cringed when I saw where he'd chosen.

Andre's didn't have the best reputation among bars and restaurants in the area. In fact, in the last year his business had gone to hell.

I smiled though, gritted my teeth and wondered if I could get away with ordering just salad and water.

The restaurant was a disaster. It wasn't ready number one, it was practically empty number two and there was a weird smell coming from the kitchen.

I ordered a large glass of wine. I had a feeling I'd need it if I was going to eat here. Sam ordered a beer.

"So, you work in the restaurant business right?" He asked.

"I do. Well, I manage The Crown."

He smiled. "I like it there; the food is amazing, and it's a beautiful place."

"Thanks, we do our best."

Unlike Andre's. I gulped my wine.

By the time the appetizer arrived, I was midway through my second giant glass of wine. I needed to slow down. But Sam liked to talk so I let him, and well, I sipped and sipped a little too much.

He'd told me all about his family—how his parents lived in Texas now, but he was born and raised here and loved it. He went to medical school at Johns Hopkins, but he always wanted to own his own practice back home.

I can't say I blamed him. I loved to travel, and I loved the idea of living elsewhere, but home was home no matter what. He was sweet and funny in a very understated way. He had a dry humor that I found attractive. He had these beautiful eyes that sold his kindness right away; his salt and pepper hair making him seem a lot older than his late thirties.

I picked at my appetizer, as did he before he burst out laughing.

"Sookie, I'm so sorry. I had no idea this place was so … well … shitty." He frowned at his food.

I smiled.

"Yeah, it's pretty awful. I wanted to say something but I didn't want to hurt your feelings, since you went to the trouble of …"

"You want to get out of here?"

I sighed, thankful that I might not die of food poisoning after all.

"Yes please!" I finished off my wine, and much to my surprise I found myself a little wonky. Damn those giant glasses. One glass equals two normal sized ones, so essentially I've had a bottle of wine.

_Oops._

"I'm so sorry this turned out to be such a disaster, Sookie."

"Oh, don't worry about it. It's been awhile since I've had a first date, and I'd like to not have died on it." I giggled. "Besides, I'm still starving, so let's hit my place."

I gave him the directions to the restaurant, making my way in the side entrance and into the kitchen. I wobbled in on my high heels.

"Lafayette!" I called as Sam and I entered the kitchen.

"Sookie, look at you all fancied up. What's the occasion?" He asked, spatula in hand.

"Date. Laf, this is Sam. Sam, this is Lafayette." Lafayette's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. What he was so confused about, I'd never know.

"Sam. So, you're the new guy then?"

Sam smiled. "Well, I certainly hope so. The date has been a bit of a disaster though, so this one might not want to call me tomorrow."

"Oh psh, what's life without a little unplanned grossness." I giggled.

"Sookie Stackhouse, are you drunk?" Lafayette asked as I poured myself a glass of the house red.

"Me? No, of course not! Sam, would you like a glass of wine?"

"I shouldn't I'm driving."

"Oh." I said in between sips. "Lafayette, honey could you feed Sam and me?"

"Sure thang. What you lookin' for?"

"Sam?"

"Whatever you've got. I don't mind!"

"Try his steak, it's awesome."

Sam nodded.

"And you, Miss Sookie?"

"Erm, I'll have chicken and stuffing with the potatoes please."

"Gravy?"

"Like you have to ask."

I took Sam to the table in the kitchen where I proceeded to snack on the sliced cherries for the cakes.

"So, you've worked here awhile?"

"Well, just over four years now I guess. I used to live in Bon Temps with my Gran, so I used to come and go from there."

"That's quite a drive."

I nodded.

"Yeah, I didn't mind it but my Gran knew all the driving was killing me, so she insisted I get a place closer to work—which I did. But, I still called to check on her every few days, and brought her to stay with me. She loved it in town."

"Is she no longer with us?"

I shook my head no.

"She died about a year and a half ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

I smiled trying not to remember how it felt to find her on the kitchen floor, the heart attack that took her from me, and how it felt to bury her.

"So Sam, have you ever been married?"

He blushed. "Oh no, I've never been lucky enough, but I hope to, one day. I'd love to have a family too."

I cringed.

"Oh Sookie, this is going so badly. Here I am on a first date talking about kids and marriage. Way to scare a woman off."

"Hey, I was the one that brought it up."

"No, I'm such a klutz I swear. With work I don't really get a chance to date all that much. I mean, I was seeing my ex for almost four years but after her I just sort of … gave up? If that makes sense."

I sipped my wine.

"Of course it does. It's not easy being with someone for so long and having it go tits up."

Did I just say tits? Oh God, Sookie stop drinking.

I heard my cell buzzing from inside my purse.

Eric calling.

Shit, was Jessica okay?

"Hello?"

"Sookie? Hi, it's Eric."

"Yeah the phone told me, it's very smart." I giggled.

"Listen, you have to come home."

"Why? Oh God, is Jessica sick?"

Sam's face changed; he looked concerned.

"No, she's fine... but the social worker woman is here. She's making a surprise check-up on us and I figured you'd want to be here."

Shit, shit.

"Oh God, of course, we'll be right there."

"Sam we have to go. Lafayette, cancel those dinners honey."

Lafayette looked up from what he was doing with a not too happy look on his face.

"Why? What's up?" Sam asked.

"Emergency. I'll explain later."

Sam and I hightailed it to Hadley's place and I tried to pull myself together on the way there.

"Sam, I'm so sorry about this. It's just one thing after another tonight it seems."

He laughed. "Yeah, the universe really isn't in our favor tonight, huh? Maybe we could try it again some time though?"

"I'd like that. Really. No Andre's though." I fake scowled.

"I promise."

It didn't feel like the right moment to kiss him, no matter how doe eyed he looked at me. I had a social worker to deal with.

I got out of the car on wobbly legs. The air hit me hard and I felt light-headed. I tried to get the key in the door, but it somehow kept moving.

Damn.

One second I was trying to get the key in the lock, the next I was face-to-face with Eric.

I walked into the hall quietly and properly, or so I thought.

"Sookie?"

"Hmm?"

"Are … Are you drunk?" He whispered.

"Psh, no!"

Maybe I was a little bit.

"No! I am not, thank you very much." I slapped him on the chest. Man that was hard.

"You are SO, so tall."

He rolled his eyes at me, ushering me by the arm into the living room.

"Sookie you're drunk and there is a social worker in the kitchen. She's in charge, remember? She decides if we're good enough parents for Jessica."

I gasped.

"Oh my God, Eric. There is a social worker here who decides if we keep Jessica! And I'm drunk! Oh, God."

He nodded.

"Okay lightweight, go upstairs, change and splash some … a lot of water on your face. I have a bottle of water by my nightstand. Go get it and drink it. Then come back down. She's almost ready to leave, everything seems to be fine and to her standard, but she really wanted to see you. And she cannot see you tanked."

I nodded.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"It's fine, just go do that and come back, okay?"

I nodded and wobbled my way up the stairs.

Evil wine!

**EPOV:**

"_Megan?"_

"Hi, I hope this isn't a bad time?"

She smiled. She had various folders and sheets of paper in her arms.

"Oh, sure, no yeah no... it's fine. Come in please."

I panicked. What the hell was she doing here? Why wasn't Sookie here? Oh my God.

"Come in please, uh would you like a cup of coffee, tea?"

Bourbon?

"Thanks, tea would be lovely. I know this is a surprise but it was explained that the visits could happen at any time, right?"

"Oh sure, I just wasn't expecting you, so I guess that's the surprise."

Awkward.

"Yep, that would be it."

We walked into the kitchen where she put her folders down on the island as I filled the kettle with water.

"So, where is little Jessica?" She asked pulling out her pen.

"She's asleep; she's in her playpen actually, we were watching TV before you called so I just put her in there. I mean, she doesn't usually sleep in there, she has a crib and it has blankets and everything." I rambled. Shit I was so scared.

"Okay."

"No really, I mean, she naps there sometimes but it's comfy and spongy with baby things … it's totally safe."

She smiled. "Eric, chill out okay? It's fine."

I exhaled.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just nervous."

"Have you something to be nervous about?" She raised her brows at me.

"No, but you have to admit you and that badge kind of intimidate."

She smiled, all intimations melting away. "I know, usually it's necessary. Some of the homes I visit… Well, they're not great."

"Do you want a tour of the house? Just to make sure?"

"I know the neighbourhood, this is a stunning house, but yes there are a few things I'll need to see. Jessica's room for example. I can see the kitchen isn't child proofed though, is that something you'll be working on?" She encouraged.

"Oh, yes, sure. I … she can't walk yet so we haven't really thought about that."

"True, but babies have a way of getting into everything. So things like socket guards, fridge locks, drawer locks, they're all necessary, sooner than you might think."

"I'll keep that in mind." I promised and she took note.

I made her the tea and she asked me some pretty simple questions. How was Jessica eating, sleeping, how was her temperament, what she liked, what she didn't like, and I was surprised I was actually pretty knowledgeable on all subjects.

Weird.

"She's a little fussy for Sookie sometimes. I don't really know why that is. Sookie, she's been great. Just don't tell her I said that." I smiled.

"How are you two getting along now? When we first me there seemed to have been some tension between the two of you."

Ah, yes that.

"Oh, well, you know it's not exactly been easy. But we are trying. We've butted heads more time that I can count, but really when it comes down to Jessica we actually agree on how we do things."

"I see." She noted. "And is Sookie around?"

Shit.

"No she's gone out. I mean, usually she's here, she's always here at night, since nights are her time."

"And you do the days?"

"Yep, since I don't have to work until at least six p.m. and Sookie gets home around five, it makes more sense since she can work day hours and there's always someone home with Jessica."

She nodded. "That's really great, that you are both taking the bonding seriously. This is a very crucial time, and it's important that Jessica be around the both of you as much as possible. She's probably not feeling very stable right now."

"None of us are." I joked.

"True, but you said she's taken to you well?"

"Weirdly well. I think really she just likes the view that my height can give her."

Well that and the cookies.

"And Sookie?"

"She's great with her during the day. I know she's had some problems at night, with sleeping and what not. The kid likes my chest; it's her favourite nap spot."

"I'll bet."

Her eyes widened as if she just realized what she said.

I had to laugh.

"Sorry. I uh … Sorry."

"It's fine. I would say the same but me complimenting you on your chest wouldn't sound as cute."

She burst out laughing. "Right. Inappropriate."

"Extremely."

She blushed and I found it incredibly cute. I guess my flirting powers were still working, I just hadn't had a chance to activate them in awhile.

A month with no sexual contact whatsoever? That was a long ass time for me.

Not that I was thinking of our social worker in a sexual way because that would have been wrong. No matter if she was cute and sweet or not. She had the power to fuck us up and if I fucked her, chances are she'd retaliate. Not good. Sookie would kick my ass.

Speaking of Sookie. I tried my best to text her under the island, so that Meg wouldn't see. But that didn't work.

"Would you excuse me? I'm just going to put Jessica up in her room so she stays asleep. I'll be right back." She nodded and kept writing on her forms. I scooped the baby up as gently as I could, and she continued to snore. Yes, snore. I had no idea babies snored. It was funny, she sounded like a little car engine.

After I had her safely in her crib I took my chance to call Sookie. Not really caring that I was knocking off her date with Doctor Love. This was far more serious.

She answered the phone and she was a little hyper. She'd either had coffee or something, but it seemed too early for dinner to have ended. She promised she'd be on her way, so I decided to relax. If anyone could say all the right things to people who made the decisions on kids, it was Sookie. She was so straight laced. I, on the other hand, could handle business people, drunks, and Pam when she had PMS. But the idea of trying to make a good impression on the woman who held the power over that little baby? I'll be honest. It scared the shit out of me.

No. Sookie could fix it.

Except Sookie couldn't fix it, because Sookie stumbled into the hallway, drunk.

_Awesome._

She insisted she wasn't but I owned a bar. I'd seen my share of drunk women pretending to be sober before. And she... was... drunk.

_Fuck!_

I sent her upstairs to freshen up when her big blue eyes and her very shocked drunk self realized that she was, in fact, drunk. I had a feeling that drunk! Sookie was a fun Sookie, however, now was so not the time to find that out. I needed stick-up-her-ass Sookie to give me the proper things to say that meant Jessica got to stay in her home with us. Instead, I got hyper-silly Sookie.

Not good right now.

**SPOV:**

Eric was tall. I mean, I knew this; I'd seen him before, but suddenly he seemed even taller. I was freaking out as he told me and then I realized that I was in fact, drunk. Those damn glasses were so deceptive! Giant glassware was now my enemy! I took the stairs slowly, cursing whoever built the damn house because, really, were so many steps necessary?

I made it into the bathroom, and did as I was told. I splashed some water on my face, sprayed some perfume, and washed my hands. Then I went into Eric's room and devoured the liter bottle of water sitting by his big comfy looking bed. Eric was weirdly neat for a guy. I mean, his apartment was in kind of a tizzy when we stopped by that one time, but in living with him, I saw that he was actually very neat. Much neater than I was, and he was considerate, he even put the toilet seat down and everything.

He also didn't get mad at me in my drunken state, which I have to admit, had things been reversed I'd have been seriously pissed. He just seemed to have much more patience than I did. Maybe that's why Jessica liked him better than she liked me? Or maybe I just wasn't cut out to be anyone's mother—fake stand-in mom or not.

I hated thinking like that, but with my problem that Bill _kindly_ kept bringing up, and the fact that Jessica seemed to revolt against me as soon as the sun went down, I was feeling a little useless. I heard Eric and Megan shuffling through the halls towards what I assumed was Jessica's bedroom. I stayed out of sight until I heard them laughing on their way down stairs again. As I tried to push those negative thoughts out of my head as I tiptoed back to my room before I slipped into the first items of clothes I could find—shorts and a t-shirt, adding flip flops for no reason other than to have shoes on—before I made my way to the kitchen.

When I got there I was greeted by the sound of a woman laughing. And then I saw it—Eric was leaning over the table smiling at the mystery laugher, a big genuine smile that I had rarely seen, and she was lapping it up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Oh, Sookie. Hi! Nice to see you again." She stood up.

"Meg, right?"

"Yep that's right. How are you feeling? Eric tells me you aren't feeling quite yourself tonight."

I looked at him and from behind her back he just nodded at me. I guess in a way he was right, I wasn't feeling myself tonight.

"Uhh no I uh, well…"

"What's she's trying to say, Meg is that she's feeling really flu bound. That's why she was seeing her doctor friend tonight, right Sook? He gave you the flu meds; it's why you're a little uneasy on your feet right now?"

I might have swayed from side-to-side. Or that just might have been the kitchen.

"Yep!" I smiled. "I was seeing a doctor. And then there were meds and that's why I am how I am 'cause you know I'm not usually like this. I'm sure Eric's told you all about me."

"He has actually." She smiled and nodded, friendly despite her clipboard of death.

"None of it's true." I stated trying to take a seat on the high stool in front of a standing and bug eyed Eric.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm not really always a total bitch or at least I try not to be. I mean, I know I give him a hard time sometimes but that's just because I'm scared, you know? And he's the only one here for me to take it out on and sometimes it's just all a little too much. And he loves Jess, you know? I mean, he pretends that he's Mr. Cool and doesn't give a shit about anyone, but he does—he totally does—and it's a little bit adorable. In fact, I'm pretty sure she likes him better than she likes me. I mean, it's really that the view is better from where she is with him, cause you know he's so, SO tall. He's tall isn't he? Like, freakishly so." I mused after my long rant.

"Uh Sook." Eric tried to interject.

"No Eric, really it's fine. She needs to know. I do try my best you know, but sometimes I'm convinced that like … I don't know. It's all very overwhelming and we're doing our best, and we love that little girl even if we don't love each other, and we'd never do anything to hurt her, I swear."

Meg was clearly uncomfortable, shifting in her seat.

Eric spoke up.

"It's the meds, usually she's not so…"

"Blunt?" She finished for him.

"Right."

"Yah." I added sipping the water that Eric handed me. "Normally the rude blunt one is Eric, but that's mostly to guys, who are—as I was told tonight—moving in on his territory." I giggled. "It's funny. It's like he's a lion or something. Isn't that funny?" I snorted.

I almost swayed off the chair but Eric caught me just before she looked up from her papers.

"So Sookie, how … uh, other than the overwhelming feeling, what are your thoughts on motherhood so far?"

"I'm not really her mom, Hadley was her mom, I'm just a substitute. But I love her, and I hope one day she'll understand all this and know that I love her and she might love me back."

Eric looked at me, with what I assumed was concern written all over his pretty face.

He really was just so pretty. I wanted to pet him. Heh.

"I see. But you like having Jessica with you, right?"

"Of course, I mean, it's scary and I'm freaking out like eighty percent of the time, but I—we—do our best and that's all anyone can ask for, right?"

She nodded.

"And how are you and Eric getting along?"

I rolled my eyes. "Depends on the day, I guess. We're like an old married couple." I giggled.

"How so?" She asked me.

"Well..." I laughed at them both as Eric all but held me up on the chair. "We argue about the most stupid things, we share a house but barely see each other, we sleep in separate rooms, and have sex with other people." I laughed out loud maybe a little too hard. Eric smirked and Meg giggled.

"So you two haven't started … anything…"

"God no, are you kidding?" I yelled. "He and I … no, we would not mesh well at all. No we're… just not like that. Right, Eric?"

He hesitated, and both Meg and I totally noticed.

"Uh, yeah... no that's, that's right. It would be… a disaster."

"Good." Meg said.

"Why is that good?" Eric asked.

"Well, as I said when we all first met, this situation is so… unique. It's rare, two single people with a … how should I put it? Uh, personality clash, being signed over a baby girl. It's complicated as it is, and adding casual sex would only complicate it even more."

"So, us dating or sexing up anyone else, that's totally fine by CPS?" I furrowed my brows, and Eric held onto me again to stop me from swaying off the chair.

"No, we're not condoning that you just throw out the rules and have random strangers roaming your home. That would in no way be a safe environment for a child—but you're both adults, both of sound mind and good heart from what I can tell—and I'm sure you'll know when lines are being crossed."

We both nodded. Well, I might have swayed.

"Right, well... I've seen all I need to see for now. Thank you so much both of you for being so open and honest about everything, it's appreciated. And thanks for the tea, Eric." She smiled at him. Oh... someone was smitten.

_Megan and Eric sittin' in a tree._

I moved to get up to show Megan out when Eric put his hand on my shoulder.

"I can show Meg out, Sookie, it's fine."

"Noo, I don't want to be rude." I shrugged his hand off and hopped off the stool—kind of forgetting how high up I was—landing with a bang on the kitchen floor.

"I'M GOOD! I'M OKAY." I stood up. "See."

They looked at each other and Eric shrugged.

Eric and I both walked Meg to the door with a promise to call her if we needed anything or felt overwhelmed, and that she'd be coming out again unannounced. Awesome, right? Now I was walking on eggshells.

When he closed the door he looked at me, shaking his head.

"How much have you had to drink, Sookie? You weren't even gone that long."

"It's not my fault that they have giant glasses now, okay? More wine fits in there so more wine fits in me!"

"You're so drunk, though I don't think she realized it was drink drunk and not like, sick-meds-drunk. You want coffee?"

"Noope. I want wine." I smiled.

"You can't have wine."

"Why not?" I pouted, following him into the kitchen.

"Because you have Jessica tomorrow, and because I'm moving my shit from my apartment and won't be around and because … I don't know, you're going to wake up with a hangover and that's never fun."

Right, he was getting the last of his things picked up.

"But I want wine. I can have it if I want because you're not the boss of me!" I pouted and yes I realize, sounded like a brat.

"Uhh huh."

He poured me a small glass—a small normal size glass—of white wine that was in the fridge from the wake.

"Nooo." I whined. "Aren't you going to have one too?"

"Sookie…"

"Just one..." I held up one finger as if to make my point.

He relented and poured himself a glass, taking a seat opposite me at the kitchen island. We both sipped in silence for a few minutes. He just looked at me, in a way that I never remembered being looked at before. It was almost as if he saw through my whole being.

"Thank you." I said.

"For what?

"For that. For not selling me out as a drunken fool to Megan."

He shook his head. "Why would I do that? You're entitled to a little fun, just like everyone else. Just because she shows up on your date night doesn't mean you can't have fun."

"But I drank too much. I'm a lightweight."

"I see that." He laughed.

"Wine is nice, it's not my fault."

"Sure."

"But still, I owe you for that. I mean, had you walked in drunk I can't say I'd have been as calm."

"Ah but that's because you're highly strung."

"I am not!"

"Yeah you are, you totally are. With the lists and the schedule and Doctor Boring. It's all very organized."

"Meaning what?

He leaned over to me, a little too close for comfort. God, he smelled good.

"Just that… nice girls are meant to grow up, date and marry nice guys and nice guy doctors are even better right? But that's not what you really want."

"And you know what I want, do you?"

"Maybe I do." He smirked.

"And what would that be?" Was it me or was the kitchen spinning?

"You want someone who excites you, someone who quickens your pulse, someone who you can't stop thinking about when your not with them, someone who makes you feel safe, happy. But someone who can bring out the fun Sookie I know is buried in there somewhere. And something tells me that is not Doctor Boring."

"How do you know she's in here?" I rolled my eyes at his last comment, choosing to ignore it.

"Well, scared Sookie wasn't the one flashing truckers, or getting that tattoo you think I can't see..." I blushed. "... or tee-peeing your math teacher's house after he failed you."

I gasped. "Who told you that?"

He grinned "Amelia."

"That whore." I was so annoyed at her. "And by the way you can't see my tattoo, so kindly shush."

"Sure, it is in a rather _concealed _place, but Stackhouse, those bikinis you wear don't exactly leave much to the imagination."

"You been using your imagination then?" I hopped off the chair, this time without landing on my face, to leave my glass in the sink.

He just smirked.

"Oh, I bet you have. Too bad, Eric because your imagination is the only time you'll see that tattoo. Sorry."

He slipped off the stool and walked towards me, backing me into the sink.

"Is that right?"

God, I hated when he looked at me like that; that look, that stupid sexy look that made me want to jump him and hold on for dear life.

"Yep." I croaked as he got closer.

"You sure. You won't even give me … a little hint?" He looked at my lips as he licked his own, and God help me it felt like the air was sucked out of the room. Stupid quickening pulse, stupid tingles.

"Nope."

"Not even a peek?"

I scoffed. "Trust that is one place a 'peek' won't be happening. Ever."

He nodded.

"Okay fine." He snapped out of his sexy stare vibe and was back to being the other Eric I knew and loathed… kind of.

"Fine?" I calmed my breathing without catching his attention.

"Yep, fine. Listen are you around on Sunday night?"

"Yeah, I finish work at six." Usually I worked all weekend, before Jessica, but since I got Saturdays off, I got Sunday nights off too. It was sweet.

"Cool, I have a date so…"

Oh.

"A date?"

"Mmm hmm. You know one of those things you tried to go on tonight. One of those." He looked cocky. God, he was annoying. And seriously when would the kitchen stop moving?

"That's fine. Fine, just _fine_."

"So it's fine then?" He laughed at me.

"Yep. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to bed." I took off, sadly in the direction of the den.

"Sookie? Bedrooms are the other way." He yelled to me.

"Thank you I know that I was just … just…" I walked out to the sound of his giggling at me.

Asshole.

Light was evil, sound was evil, those damn giant glasses of wine were evil. Eric was evil too. He jinxed me with his hangover talk, and what do you know? I felt like hell ran over—twice. Thankfully, I had my Saturday off and wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Of course, that couldn't happen. Not where Eric and Jessica were concerned. They were watching some stupid singing kids show in his room, loudly, while Eric decided to sing along—out of tune, and again, fucking loudly.

I wandered into his room to find her on one of his chairs, and him on the other. He had a big bowl of mushed Rice Crispies that he was feeding her in between singing songs.

"Mornin'!"

"What is this?" I pointed and looked for the remote.

"Barney. I don't know. It's annoying as hell but she likes it, and she laughs when I sing."

"That's because you sing badly."

"Excuse me, Carrie Underwood. Or should that be Amy Winehouse … Did you see what I did there?"

I glared at him, turning down the volume.

I caught sight of myself in the mirror, oh Christ. Bed hair was of epic proportions.

"Fine, I'm going to take a shower."

"Aunt Sookie is a wino. Can you say wino?" He coo'd at the baby.

"ERIC!"

He just laughed at me.

I showered off my hangover and thankfully Eric had made some kind of breakfast. I microwaved the bacon and sausage and made a messy sandwich with ketchup.

"That's gross." He commented walking Jessica into the kitchen on his feet. It was too cute a sight, no matter how horrible I felt.

"Nomp." I said with a mouthful. "It's awesome."

"You want to take a drive into town with Jessica and me?" He asked letting her crawl on the floor before grabbing a water from the fridge.

"Why?"

"Well, we could get some groceries, and then I have to get a new shirt for my date tomorrow night, so I might stop by my place and get the last of my things."

"You've been to the grocery story twice in the last week. What did you buy, air?"

He blushed. "I… well, I wasn't sure what to get."

That would explain the nutella and excessive amounts of biscuits, no meat, and lots of microwave meals.

"Right, sure okay."

"Cool, and you're still okay with Sunday?"

"Yep. Nights are my thing so it doesn't matter anyway. Will … uh will you and your date be coming back here?" I tried to add as casually as I could while I poured my coffee.

"Maybe, probably. That's … okay, isn't it?"

I looked at him and faked a smile as best I could. "Sure of course, why wouldn't it be?"

"Okay, well, cool. I'll meet you in the car in ten, roomie." He smiled.

Roommate, right because that's all we could ever be.

_Of course._

**A/N2: Me again, how did we like that? Let me know! :D I'll have the link up on what this little world looks like in the profile shortly! Thank you for reading honey buns!**


	10. Chapter 10

**EPOV:**

Having Megan show up the night before wasn't at all what I would call convenient. In fact, it was down right terrifying. She was great; friendly and totally open to hinting at what we maybe should be doing. I didn't have much experience with social workers but I was glad she was ours, and that she wasn't some hard ass who was out to get us for having a dusty coffee table or something!

The past month had been a hectic ride, one shock after another, one obstacle after another, but I was coping as best I could. I still didn't understand it. I couldn't- and maybe I never would understand why my best friend and his sweet wife, two people who loved each other so fucking much that it was almost nauseating to be around them, could just be wiped off the earth in a matter of minutes. I didn't get it, and I was angry as hell at whatever God, or deity, had decided it was okay to take them away from everyone they loved.

But taking responsibility was one thing I was good at. I might huff and puff about it for a while but in the end, I'd always step up and do the right thing. It was something Alcide always use to say about me, that I could be a cold hearted bastard when I wanted to be, but he knew me better than that, and the act wasn't fooling him. He knew I was a good guy.

Of course I laughed at him, called him a fruity motherfucker and drank my beer, but he had been kind of right. And maybe that was part of the reason he left my name to take care of his kid, because he knew I wouldn't back out on her, even if I wanted to.

I loaded the baby into the car complete with the soggy cookie she was chewing on, her sucky thing and a new bottle in my man bag full of her things while we waited for Sookie.

I knew she'd wake up with a hangover. Wine was a bitch the morning after, as many of my customers had told me in the past. Drunk Sookie was an experience. It also made me realise she was very good at keeping things bottled up inside her and, with a little social lubricant, they just came pouring out.

She rushed out the back door, giant purse in hand. She was dressed in her uniform of denim shorts and a long fitted tank top, her hair she'd stuck in a messy bun and her giant shades covering her eyes. She got to the end of the driveway before one of the neighbours popped up out of nowhere. I think her name was Maxine. She had a boy around Jessica's age. It seemed they made small talk for a few minutes before Sookie smiled and waved, while hopping into the car.

"Sorry, I couldn't find my phone. And that was Maxine."

Ah, I was right.

"She was just saying hi, and that she meant to tell us she use to sit for Hadley and Alcide when they had to work late. She said Jessica and Hoyt got on well so if we ever needed her, just ask. It was sweet of her."

"Yeah, that is nice of her. She was a little touchy feely when I met her."

"Oh, is she the neighbour that grabbed your ass?" She sniggered. It wasn't funny, it was weird! She was married! I just ignored her question.

"You good to go now?"

She nodded.

Everything was silent besides Jessica talking gibberish to herself and her teddy in the backseat.

"I'm sorry about last night, and this morning." Sookie spoke finally.

"Don't worry about it."

"No, don't just let me off okay? I screwed up and if it hadn't have been for you, I could have really cost us points with that social worker showing up drunk. How could I even-"

"Sookie, look, you didn't know she was coming. Neither of us did. And like I said, we have lives. She can't expect those to stop. We're doing our best and she seems okay with that."

She nodded. She really did guilt herself a lot, it seemed.

"So were you telling the truth?" I asked taking a turn on the road.

"About what?"

"What you thought of me, and how I'm doing with the kid?"

She grinned, turning to face her window. "Sure."

"Sure?"

"Yeah, I mean it was true. She loves you, and it's pretty clear you're smitten with her, too." She glanced into the backseat. She wasn't wrong. Jessica was a pretty cute kid, terrifying at times, but lovable all the same.

"And you?"

"What about me? She likes me just fine, I guess." She shrugged and looked out her window, avoiding me.

"You didn't seem to think that last night. That was kind of weird, I have to admit."

She looked sharply in my direction then, "Meaning what?"

"Nothing. It's just you seemed to think the kid hates you. She doesn't hate you - hell she's one, she doesn't know what hate IS."

"Tell that to her vegetables."

"_Sookie…"_

"What? Okay, fine, so she doesn't hate me, but I mean I don't get it. I'm a good person, and sometimes it's like she freaks out on me… I don't know what it is or how to fix it. You have it down. I don't get that either. You've never even been around kids before and it's like you have the golden touch!"

I didn't say anything. Clearly, this was a sore spot for her and I didn't want to add the aggravation of saying something stupidly sarcastic and pissing us both off.

We got to the Whole Foods and Sookie grabbed Jess, and her now crumb covered self and set her into one of the shopping carts. I liked this place. The food was good and the staff and customers where super friendly.

Well, when I say 'friendly,' I mean it was mostly single mothers, hot aunts and a few sisters that, for some reason, found Jessica and I …interesting. Who was I to say no to a little innocent flirtation? It was mainly the reason why I kept coming back here. I mean, I had no idea what a 'household' needed in terms of shopping. When I did my own shopping it was mostly condoms, a few micro wave meals for when I didn't eat at the bar, or order take out, and water.

Apparently, Sookie had other ideas.

"Garlic, tomatoes, spinach, strawberries, lemons." she listed off as we walk around the fresh produce isle.

Oh, so actual ingredients then? That made sense.

"I think we should get some steaks and freeze them for later in the week maybe? Some cuts of meat anyway. I like making big dinners. When it was just Gran and I, she'd still make a Sunday roast with all the trimmings even if it was just she and I there." She smiled.

"Sounds awesome."

"It was. I wish Gran could have met Jessica." she frowned, but then smiled "And you, I think, she would have liked you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Gran was funny. She was old but she wasn't like all those other old ladies at all! She told me once she was a twenty-something trapped in a old woman's body, not that she even looked that old. But her ideas on things weren't as old fashioned as they could have been. That, and she was horribly honest about things."

"Sounds like a cool woman."

"She was, she was always worrying that I would spend so much time taking care of her that I'd forget to go get myself taken care of."

I laughed then, "Was that your Grandmother's way of saying you needed to get laid?"

"I have no idea. Maybe It was." She giggled as she placed a whole chicken in the cart next to a big bag of stuffing and carrots.

As we walked around the store, more and more of the women recognised me. They waved, they smiled, they spoke to Jessica.

Sookie slipped her sun glasses on top of her head, looking at me expectantly.

"Oh, my GOD."

"What?" I looked ahead. Even though it was clear where she was going with this.

"This is what you do isn't it? You flirt in the grocery store!"

"No I … What?" Yeah, I was a shitty liar.

"Eric, these women, they all know you…" she looked confused as each aisle we passed, someone usually- well, always- a woman, would wave or smile and say hi.

"No, they don't." Just as my luck would have it, one of them was feeling chatty.

"Hi Eric. Heeeeey Jessica." She smiled this big, huge smile. She had long brown hair and hazel eyes. Shit what was her name again?"

"Oh hey." I added cheerfully as the mystery woman said hello to Sookie, though her tone was slightly icier than it had been when she addressed Jessica and I.

"Oh Sookie, this is…"

"Maryann."

"Maryann, of course, forgive me. I'm horrible with names."

She smiled.

"Sookie, this is Maryann." Right. Third isle biscuits, that's where I met her the other day.

"Back so soon? It's amazing what kids go through isn't it?" she chatted. Sookie nodded and smiled and was ever so polite.

"I met Eric here last week. He was just so confused."

"Right, shopping for food, it's just so darn hard." Sookie sassed, but with a smile so it sounded not as sarcastically douche-y as I knew she meant it. Mary just smiled.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Eric." she patted my shoulder as she walked by, causing Sookie to scoff.

"Sweet Jesus, you're totally using Jessica as a pickup line!"

"I am not! Look, it's not my fault women just LIKE HELPING a guy out, okay?"

She smirked.

"No, it's true. First few times I was just minding my own business trying to figure out what size diapers Jess needed… After that…"

"It became the game plan?"

I smirked. Yeah, it totally had.

"It works?"

I shrugged. It might have worked. I might have a few more phone numbers in my phone I didn't have before.

"Show me." She grabbed a big bag of peanuts, throwing them into the cart. "Come on, show me." She smiled. She was teasing me. "Show me the Northman charm that has these women fawning over you."

"No." I tried to bite back a smile.

"Chicken." She rolled her eyes and walked ahead of me to the meat aisle. I let her walk on for a few seconds as she browsed through the shelves. I grabbed a packet of meat from the freezer and walked silently up beside her.

"Hey, how do you pronounce this?"

It was Carne Asada and I knew how to say it right, but that wasn't the fun part. I leaned into her while she looked at it.

She shrugged "Car-nay-as-ah-dah-" she sounded out for me and I just leaned on in, violating her personal space like whoa.

"Oh, that's interesting. I thought it was something else. That was really helpful, thanks." I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, no, I mean some of those products are kind of hard to say. There are a few that -" She realised I was still touching her and she was still letting me, and she was talking.

"Oh, oh, I get it. Very smooth. This is what you do?" She grinned "Just… playing dumb."

"Little bit, but we both know better." I winked.

"And this works for you?"

"Yeah! It's that, or they see Jessica and like … their biological clock explodes, or something, I don't know."

She laughed and nudged me away from her, wiping Jessica's face with a tissue as we made our way down to the next aisle.

"How's the head now?" I asked, wondering if she'd gotten over her hangover any more.

"Little better. Ooh brownie mix. I think I'll make some later. Do you like brownies?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Jessica do you like brownies? Do you want Brown-niees?" I heard her sound out. WE probably sounded like idiots, and judging by Jess's reaction, we did. She just screwed up her face and went back to spitting bubbles and talking to herself, something about "fah las fa" - neither Sookie or I had any idea since she had yet to say an actual word anyone other than herself understood.

We rounded to the baked goods section and I was busy salivating over some doughnuts when I heard it.

"Sookie?"

Oh good, Sam was here.

"Sam! Hey! What a nice surprise." There was that smile of hers again.

"Eric." Sam nodded in my direction but went right back to looking at Sookie.

I didn't acknowledge him. I told Sookie I'd take Jessica along to finish the shopping. Honestly, that was the last thing I wanted to stand in witness to.

**SPOV:**

Maxine was a sweet woman. Sure she kind of over-stepped the neighbourly bounds when she started asking questions, but she meant well. She was a stay-at-home mother, and I was guessing she didn't have a whole lot of adult conversations during the day. Her little boy Hoyt was a sweetie, and I had hoped to mix Jessica with him a little bit more. She needed to be around kids her own age. So when Maxine stopped to chat as I was on my way to the car and offered to baby sit if we needed it, it was a welcome gesture, that's for sure. Sophie was a handful, as was Jessica, and between the two of them and Eric and dealing with it all at once, having someone willing to give us a break was nice. I thanked her and told her I'd call her as I got in the car. Thankfully the splitting headache that had popped up after I'd showered was slowly starting to subside.

Kind of freaking out on Eric in the car didn't help my mood much. I knew he meant well, and I knew he was just making conversation, but it wasn't something he could understand. Failing with Jessica made me feel like I was failing as a woman every time she rejected me. It was one of the worst feelings because weren't we meant to just know instinctively what they needed? I seemed to have missed out on that gene.

When Eric asked me if I was, in fact, telling the truth with what I told Megan, I cringed a little. I really hadn't meant to say all I said, and so quickly and randomly.

Evil wine. Never again.

But I told him I did, since it was the truth. He was great with Jess. How, I had no idea, but he was and I was extremely thankful he wasn't the asshole I thought he'd be and leave everything up to me. No, he really had stepped up and accepted that this was his deal now, too.

It was extremely admirable.

What wasn't, however, was the fact that he was using Jessica as a flirting tool. It was really, well, an Eric-like thing to do.

I should have been mad, but really, I realised he wasn't doing her any harm and it was that something I knew he'd never do. He'd never put her in any danger. So if he wanted to hit on the women in the market, that was up to him. I didn't care one way or another, and his 'date' was just another way of proving to myself that I didn't care about his love life.

I mean, sure, he and I had spent the good part of a month alone but in that time we'd concentrated on work, on Jessica and trying to establish some kind of normalcy. And we did. We worked, we ate, we spent time with the baby, we watched old movies if neither of us could sleep… But then Sam asked me out, and Eric's mood toward me changed a little. It wasn't that he was unkind, but the ease we'd developed over the previous weeks had been replaced with an air of something else. I wanted to say it felt like jealousy, but that idea was ridiculous to me. Eric wouldn't be jealous of Sam, because Eric and I were never going to happen. We got along because we had to, that was it.

When Eric came on to me- or what I remember from him getting all intense with me in the kitchen the night before- it did make me question if he was jealous of Sam because he felt something for me, but then did I want him to feel something for me? You know, besides his usual sarcasm and sexist comments, the other end of the Eric spectrum was rather scary. I knew, despite how I would deny it to my grave, that I was attracted to Eric. I always had been. Being attracted to him physically, that was never ever the issue. It was always the fact that he was a douche who treated women like we were disposable to him. His attitude toward me on our 'date' and well, just his general being, used to annoy me so much.

But in the few weeks I had spent with him, I realised that Eric was someone who only came out when he felt… I don't know, threatened or out of his comfort zone. Actual Eric was sweet - always sweet with the baby, even when she screamed her head off, or wouldn't eat, or wouldn't sleep. He was calm and patient, where as I was frazzled and freaking. Jessica adored him, that much was obvious. I was woman enough to admit her affection for him made me a little jealous, since it tapped at my insecurities again, and made me feel like I was failing somehow. I was sure Eric noticed it but he would never bring it up intentionally, thankfully.

When we were flirting at the grocery store, just messing around with him allowing me to see his 'skills,' it was light and breezy. Even Jessica was quiet and observing. That Eric I liked. He was funny and adorable and just a smidge goofy. I didn't get to see him often.

And he didn't last long when we ran into Sam. I swear it was almost as if I could hear him freezing up and putting his badass mask on. Which he did when he blatantly ignored Sam in favour of walking on ahead of me with Jessica to finish the shopping, leaving me talking with Sam.

"I was going to call you. I just got a little side tracked."

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't." he blushed "It was a horrible date, I failed you miserably."

"No you…Well yes, you did. But points for effort though. I'm sorry I drank. I hadn't had a decent drink in a while and it hit me a little harder than I thought it would."

He smiled "It's fine, you were very… honest on the car ride to your place."

I cringed.

"Oh God…"

"Don't worry you didn't say anything bad, just that you questioned my shoe wear."

_Oh, good God._

"It's not that there is anything wrong with them…"

"You said they were very 'doctor-y,' which you found hilarious." He teased.

"Oh, God, seriously, you can ignore me if you like. I can pretend I never saw you and it'll let you off the hook."

He laughed, "Now Sookie why'd I want to do that? I was starving, but it was still… Eventful."

I blushed, I knew I did. I could feel it in my cheeks.

"Still…"

"Look, can I make it up to you? I promise no possible food poisoning, no giant glasses of wine and hopefully no social workers making surprise calls."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Dinner, my place, Sunday night?"

Oh no.

"I can't."

His smile faltered slightly.

"I mean I want to, but that's Eric's night off and I have the baby alone."

"So? Bring her, too. We could do dinner after she goes to sleep…"

"How about we compromise."

He raised his brows.

"How about you come over and I cook for you? That way Jessica gets to sleep in her crib and we still get to spend some time together."

He smiled. "Can I at least bring desert?"

"Another store pie?" I laughed.

"No! …Well."

"Sam, don't sweat it. Just bring you and an appetite and that's all we need."

He nodded, agreeing, and promising he'd be in kissed me on the cheek before he left, and I walked to find Eric with a goofy smile on my face.

I found him in the candy aisle with an open pack of jelly worms, giving Jessica one before she fisted it to her mouth.

"Hey." I smiled.

He just looked on at the baby "Hey."

"You get everything you needed?" I asked, trying to keep my good mood without bitching him out for being rude again. It was his choice.

"Yep."

"Pop tarts? Really? Eric, those aren't very healthy."

"Well, I like them, so I got them. Is that okay? No one's asking you to eat 'em."

_Touchy._

"Fine. Let me just grab a few more things and we'll go."

Wipes, tampons, toilet paper, a few cleaning supplies, tub of ice-cream and the ingredients for an apple pie and I was on my way to the checkout. Eric still didn't look at me and his icy mood was getting colder by the second. When all the items we'd gotten were scanned and packed, I pulled out my card to pay.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh, what does it look like?" I went to put the card in the machine, while the checkout girl waited for one of us to make up our mind. She also was batting her lashes at Eric.

God.

"No, you're not. I'll get this."

"Uh, no, most of the stuff in here I picked, so I'll get it."

"Sookie, can you just stop? Let me get this."

"Why?"

"Just, because!" he all but huffed at me.

"Why, because you're the guy and it's another one of those guy things? Sorry, Eric, but I can pay my own way. I don't want your money."

"Jesus, why do you have to make everything so damn difficult!"

ME! He was the one causing a scene.

I just gave him the eyebrow as I brushed him aside and yanked my card through the little machine. It beeped, I entered my pin and we were good to go. He, however, just rolled his eyes and took Jessica from the cart to the car without me, leaving me with the cart full of shit.

What the fuck?

By the time I got to the car I was livid. I got in and slammed the door of the jeep.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"Liar."

He finally looked at me.

"It was one thing. Just paying for the damn food and you couldn't even let someone … no not someone, me! You couldn't even let me do that could you?"

"Because it was MY SHIT MOSTLY. I'm not going to let you pay for my stuff, Eric, it's not fair."

He rolled his eyes. "We both know the stuff you bought, we'll both end up cooking. So why not let me pay for it? Because you're a stubborn ass woman, that's why."

Oh I'm stubborn?

"And you're …I can't believe you're making such a big deal out of this! Jesus, you acted like I cut your balls off."

He just glanced at me.

Had I? Had I, metaphorically at least, lopped off his balls?

Fucking men! Why were they so complicated?

He just took off at warp speed and didn't slow down at all.

"Eric slow down."

He ignored me.

"ERIC, SLOW FUCKING DOWN."

He ignored me again.

"ERIC!" I yelled, startling Jessica and making her cry. He finally slowed down. "Stop the fucking car."

"Sookie, I'm.."

"Stop. The. Car."

He pulled into the side of the road, as the other cars sped past us. I undid my seat belt and got out of the car, leaving him with the screaming baby. I walked along the side of the road, marching really, before I heard the squeals of the car reversing.

"Sookie, get in the fucking car."

"Fuck you." I said walking on faster.

"Sookie, Jesus, you can't walk home for Christ's sake. Just get IN the car!"

"Why? So you can prove that you're a man by driving like a mentalist? Did you forget that my cousin and your BEST FRIEND fucking DIED on this highway? Did you?"

He frowned, stopping the car finally and getting out.

"Sookie..." He attempted to reach for my arm. I shoved it away, then I pushed him, and pushed him, the more I pushed him the more my anger built.

"HOW COULD YOU BE SO FUCKING STUPID?"

I pushed his chest. I pushed and pushed and he just stood there and let me. It wasn't making him move at all.

"You could have hit another car, or a car could have hit us, or something could have ran into the road and what were you doing? PROVING to me what a man you are just because - because …" I sobbed unintentionally.

I heard Jessica wailing in the backseat and I instantly felt guilty for leaving her there.

He tried to reach for my arm again, and this time I let him.

I tired to stop my tears from falling but I couldn't, and the more I tried, the harder I sobbed. He pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into my ear as he rubbed my back, comforting me.

"It was stupid!" I said into his chest, the sound of my voice muffled.

"I know, and I'm sorry I don't know what I was thinking. I was just mad. And I fucked up."

"Damn right you did." I looked up at him then, still not stepping out of his embrace. I had to side with Jessica- his chest was kind of cosy.

He looked pale and sombre, and if I wasn't wrong, I almost saw tears in his eyes.

"I fucked up. I'm tryin' to handle this, Sookie, but you seem to think I have this plan and that I'm doing so great when the truth is, I have no fucking idea how things are meant to be."

I felt the same. Still he hugged me and I let him, trying not to let myself get lost in how good it felt to have his arms wrapped around me, or just how good he smelled.

We broke apart when the wails from the car got louder. I dabbed my eyes and fixed my hair, noticing that I'd left mascara all over his white t-shirt.

He got into the driver seat and I got into the back with the now very pissed off Jessica. Her face was red and streaked with tears. Poor thing probably thought we'd just left her. I took her out of her baby seat as I noticed Eric sitting up front, exhaling loudly and inhaling slowly. I cradled her in my lap and did my best to rock her back and forth, attempting any and all calming methods I knew of to chill her out. None of those worked of course, until Eric switched on the radio. Rock music made her cry louder, which made Eric scowl.

"We really need to get this kid some musical taste." he mumbled, switching through the different stations till he found something that met Madam's standards.

"Taylor Swift? Really Jessica?" I asked as she stopped crying and listened to the music. Her tears were still falling from her very red little eyes, but the wailing had stopped.

"Whiny little girls and their guitars. Awesome." Eric mumbled again in the front seat.

"How is that any different that whiny middle aged men and their guitars? It's just a different beat."

He raised a brow at me in the mirror. I just smiled and started to hum along with the lyrics, noticing that Jessica's breathing was coming back to normal and she wasn't fighting me as I held her.

"You've got a smile that could light up this whole town." I sang gently into her ear as I hummed the rest, while Eric started the car to take us home, " I'm the one who understands you, been here all along… you belong with me."

Eric looked at us in his rear view mirror again, and this time was sure there were tears in his eyes. He was quick to look away and it wasn't something I'd bring up, but I guess I'd been rather selfish in my thinking. I'd been so concerned about how losing Alcide and Hadley had effected me, I never once stopped to realise that Eric had lost his best friend too.

Way to go Sookie.

EPOV:

I realise what an asshole move I'd made when I tore out of the parking lot like a madman. But I was angry, more at myself than anyone else. Why couldn't I just deal with the fact that Sookie wasn't going to let me step up and take care of things, stupid things like groceries, or bills? No, she was stubborn and independent. Two things that weren't necessarily bad personality traits, but at that moment they pissed me off. And, she was right. I took my anger out on the car, and when she asked me to slow down, I did ignore her. I ignored her to the point where I really scared her, and I felt like such a shit for doing that. It wasn't what I'd intended. I was allowing my passive-aggressive nature to take over so she'd know I was pissed at her without actually saying so. Forgetting, even momentarily, that fooling around on a highway could cost us our lives, and mores the point, could have cost us Jessica.

My heart sank when I saw just how freaked out and upset she was. So when she stormed away from the car in the emergency lane I panicked. I needed her to know I wasn't doing it to scare her. Shit, that was the last thing I wanted. I knew she wasn't dealing with their deaths very well, and truth be told, neither was I. When she started to sob I swear my heart broke, or something inside me broke. It was no secret that crying women were like my kryptonite. So when I tried to hug her, and she actually let me, I was shocked, but I welcomed it nonetheless. Holding her, even as she sobbed at my expense, it felt right somehow. I tried not to dwell on just how good it felt to comfort her, or how good her shampoo smelled, or how warm she felt next to me, or how I wanted to kiss those tears off her beautiful - if slightly red - face.

I led her back to the car, where we'd been very shitty parents in leaving the one-year-old to sob her little heart out. Sookie tried her best to hush her. We tried the radio trick and since Jessica was a contemporary pop country girl, my rock station wasn't going to cut it. As Sookie sat, rocking the baby girl that looked just like her in her arms, singing to her how she belonged to her, it made me want to cry like a bitch.

_Damn you, Taylor Swift. Whiney little bitch with your guitar._

It got me thinking about how Alcide wouldn't get to see his kid grow up, or see her take her first steps, or fall in love, or get married, but somehow because he thought something of me, I got that privilege.

It was fucking scary, I'll tell you that.

When we got home, Jessica was asleep in Sookie's arms. It was her naptime, after all, and since both Sookie and I were as exhausted as she was, we both decided to chill on the couch. We'd fallen into silence as we pretended to watch bad daytime TV. I realised she'd fallen asleep at some point before the sun had set, as had I. I woke up with a dead leg from sitting on it for too long.

Sookie was still out when I went to check on Jessica, who, surprisingly was just chillin' in her crib looking at the new 'mobile' I'd bought her. This one was creepy, with evil floating heads, instead had butterflies - they had bodies and everything- and it didn't confuse the kid. Butterflies flew, heads did not.

"Hey kid." she put her arms up for me to lift her, and I did. "Hey, you hungry?"

I knew by her weight she needed a diaper change, and as tempted as I was to wake Sookie so she could change her, I knew I'd have to man up and get used to it.

"Oh my God, kid, seriously we need to check your digestive system. This actual shit is NOT normal. Ugh."

She just giggled at me.

"It's not funny, it's gross! Can you say gross?" I took a breath through my mouth and held it till I had her old diaper wrapped and packed in the diaper bin.

She was wiped and powdered and fresh when I re-snapped her little dress back to rights.

"Okay, kid, let's go.

I left Sookie a note that I was gone to my apartment to make sure the movers had everything they needed. I'd be subletting it so all my old furniture was staying, except for a few things, like my flat screen and personal stuff. Those things would be boxed and brought over on Monday. I was pleased to find everything was boxed when we got there with a note from Pam confirming she'd checked it all over, and they'd be dropping it off on Monday. I'd be glad to have my gym equipment back. If nothing else, working out all the tension I was experiencing would be helpful. It seemed a simple jog wasn't clearing my head as it use to.

I picked out some shirts and jeans, a few jackets and dress pants and shoes. I was now second guessing my 'date.' I didn't really like the idea of bringing those women 'home.' It was different when I lived here, alone, and had my own rules I never followed. But then I looked at Jessica as she rolled and crawled on the bubble wrap, and exposing her to those women wasn't exactly something I wanted. I had needs ,sure, but then again, so did she. She needed parents, not random strangers. As much as I hated to admit it, Meg was right. Casual sex wouldn't have been so easy now.

I stopped by the bar as dinners where being cooked up and got Jessica fed. She lapped up her creamed potatoes and chicken bits like a pro. Of course, my kitchen staff looked at me like I had two heads. I guess seeing the boss with a kid would be kind of weird. They didn't say anything, even if their eyes were about to pop out of their heads.

I wiped Jessica off after she'd successfully charmed all the staff, each one of them wanting to coo at her or hold her. I'd left her to get acquainted with Claudine, my head chief, before I went to check things over in the office.

"Pam." I greeted. She had her feet up on my desk as she spoke on the phone. I gave her the eyebrow, and she took them down.

"Okay, that's fine. So we need the sixteen of those in white. Yep, great." She hung up. "I didn't expect to see you today. Where's Jessica?"

"She's charming the staff in the kitchen."

She smiled. "Wanna see what I got her?"

"Pam, we talked about that. You don't have to get her anything. She has everything a kid needs."

"Not these, she doesn't." She was practically bouncing with glee. Not a good sign.

She produced a tiny box and inside there was shoes. Of course, with Pam it was always all about the shoes.

Dior baby shoes? Seriously?

"You're ridiculous. She can't even walk yet!"

"Well, when she does, she'll be the most fashion forward baby in the barn, or wherever it is kids play."

I shook my head at her.

"Fine you want to waste your money on her on silly things like this, go nuts." She smiled and took off to find Jess and shove her little feet into designer baby shoes. Well, at least there was one happy woman in my life.

The office door opened not a minute later, with Tiffany on the other side.

"Hey." she grinned.

Oh, God, I did not have the time or the energy for this.

"Hey. Something wrong?" I asked.

"No, just haven't seen you around much lately."

"Been busy." I checked the invoices as she made her way to my side of the desk.

"I've missed you."

See? Not good.

"Tiffany. Come on." I tried to ignore when she reached for the buttons on my shirt.

"What? We have fun don't we?"

"We did, once, but … you knew it wasn't more than a one time thing. I told you that. And I told you that I'm just not… I'm not the right guy for you."

She pouted but accepted what I was saying, thankfully.

"So who's is she?"

I looked at her.

"The kid, is she yours?"

Was she mine? Legally she was mine now. But biologically she'd always be Alcide's.

"Yeah, she's mine."

That surprised her.

"What happened? Did some pissed off baby momma leave her with you, or something?"

"No. Not exactly. Look, I don't want to talk about this." With you… "So, if there's something else?"

She looked hurt. "So that's it? That's it? Just, screw around and then, nothing? Not even a civil conversation? Really?"

"You knew what you were doing, Tiffany, and you knew that I had a reputation. I don't date my staff. Hell, I don't do anything with my staff, usually… But you were …" A mistake, a distraction. "A once off." I decided was a better turn of phrase.

"And it can't happen again?" She asked, more hopeful that I'd have liked.

"No, it can't. Are you okay with that?" I asked finally looking her in the eye.

She nodded. "Fine."

"Good."

She stalled at the door like she wanted to say something else but she didn't, and for that, I was thankful.

Pam came in with Jessica in her arms. It was an odd sight.

"Look at those shoes! They're perfect! And look how cute she looks with her little dress and now completely amazing shoes."

"Fine Pam you win; they are … nice."

"Psh, nice. NICE? They are Dior and Dior is more than 'nice'." she rolled her eyes at me.

"Jessica you'll understand the importance of a good shoe one day, and when you do you'll have me to thank and not Eric, because he has no taste. In shoes, or in women. Take Tiffany for example." She looked smiling from the baby to glare at me. "You done screwing around with her?"

"I didn't screw around with her. We didn't even have sex."

"Well you must have done something." I looked away.

"Oh Eric, really? Oral from the wait staff?"

"Drop it Pam."

"Fine, fine, but one of these days your whoring is going to bite you in the ass, and not the fun love bites either. But, whatever it's your life. Speaking of, how is Sookie?"

"What's that mean?"

"You know, the fake-baby-mamma to your fake-baby-daddy thing that you've both got going on. How is she today?"

"She's fine, I guess. She's dating someone."

"Who? The douche that showed up at the funeral?"

"No, Jessica's doctor of all things. I don't like the guy."

"Because he's _dating_ Sookie." she stated, and it wasn't a question either.

"No, I don't care who she dates. I just … he rubs me the wrong way."

"_Because _he's going to be fucking Sookie." she stated again.

"No Pam, I don't give a shit who she's …she's…" Okay fine, I gave a shit, that much was obvious since I couldn't even say it.

"Uh huh." she smiled. "You like her don't you? I knew it. You've been hung up on her since like two years ago when you both fucked up that date."

"I'm not hung up on her, and I don't like her. Not like that."

"Really? So you're perfectly fine with some guy coming along and sweeping her off her feet and fucking her through her mattress?"

Bad. Visuals were bad.

"I'm not talking about this with you. Jessica and I are going."

I stormed out of the office leaving her with that annoying satisfied smirk on her face. Sometimes I wondered why I kept her around at all.

Back at home, we found Sookie in the kitchen tackling some dishes and looking freshly showered.

"Hi."

"Hey. Hey baby girl." She took Jessica from me for a cuddle.

"Uh, Eric, did you buy her Dior shoes?" She looked very surprised.

"Pam."

"Oh, that makes more sense. They are gorgeous though." she smiled "Who has pretty shoes, for a pretty girl? You do! That's right, you do!"

"Feeling better?" I asked her, hoping she wouldn't bite my head off.

She smiled. "I am, thanks. Sorry for having a total fit on you before." She blushed tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Eh I'm getting used to it." I teased grinning at her.

I walked to her side, taking the cloth and started to dry the small amount of dishes that she'd washed.

"I know women that would kill to have a guy volunteer to help with the dishes."

I just shrugged.

"So what are your plans for your date?" She asked, still smiling. It made me want to tell her I'd been having second thoughts on the whole 'dating' around the house thing. Maybe I needed a longer break from women, and she, Jessica and Pam where more than enough for me right now.

"I mean, it's good that you're getting out there again. I'm sure all those text messages I see you ignoring are from girls who are wondering just what in the hell you've been doing. Or, in your case, not doing. It's good."

"It is?"

"Yeah. I mean this is who you are, and that's cool. As long as you're happy."

Was I?

"Actually, Sookie, I think you know maybe I -"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you! Sam's coming over for dinner tomorrow night. That way we don't have to move Jessica around while Sam and I try to rectify the date from hell. Minus the giant amounts of wine. So it's good you have the night off, right? I mean we'll hang out in the den, or wherever when you come back. I don't want to interrupt anything."

"Oh."

"So what do you have planned?"

"A few drinks and dinner mostly. Nothing exciting, really."

"Sounds nice though." She was being nice. "Just no Andre's."

"I'm not that dumb."

"He's not dumb. He just doesn't have time to eat out to know these things."

"Doesn't his practice only open till 6?"

"He's a busy guy."

"We're all busy."

"Eric, I get it you don't like him. Let's move on. What's your date like?"

_Easy._

"Ginger. She's, well, she's…"

I'd slept with her twice and I didn't know all that much about her.

"She's not actually Ginger, she's blonde."

Sookie full on laughed. "It's a name, not a description. Someone called Jade isn't going to be green either. Well, if I get to meet her, I hope to find out something more about her other than her hair colour." She shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess we'll have to see won't we?"

I had a bad feeling about this.

Hi guys! So what did we think? I know most of you were expect the 'date' this chapter, but the muses weren't buying it so soon, but next chapter looks promising! Thank you **so **much for the reviews and love it's all so amazing so keep it up! :D Big up to Makesmyheadspin for beta'ing this baby for me tonight! :D

Here are Jessica's shoes (which I have to admit are just too awesome aren't they?)

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	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, sorry for the wait on this one! I had a serious case of writers block that just make me want to chuck it all in! But, fear not! I more than made up for it when the mood struck again! So here we are, and for a few reviewers that need Sookie to 'get some' … well :D Enjoy. X **

**SPOV:**

Sunday had been an all around relaxing day compared to the havoc that was the Saturday, so the lazy day was more than welcome. Eric had hightailed it out of the house to go and mind his bar around eight the previous night. The remains of our breakdowns were still hanging in the air. While he and I did make some progress on just what the other was thinking, we soon fell back into the silence we'd come to know over the previous month.

I was chatty. In fact, I could and would chat to just about anyone, but with Eric there was always blockage in the way. Sure we talked, but not about the important things. I still knew very little about his personal life, other than he had a thing for easy women, strawberry ice-cream and he liked running. Mostly, he was still a mystery to me.

Jessica and I decided a day by the pool was just what we needed, and it seemed Eric agreed. "Did she sleep okay for you last night?" Eric was stretched out on the recliner beside the pool as Jessica - complete with water wings and SPF 9000- splashed around in the pool.

"She did, shockingly. Although we did crawl around on the floor for like an hour before bed, so I guess that's the key- make her super tired and she'll just knock herself out." I couldn't see his eyes behind his shades, but his smile was obvious.

"That's good. I'm glad she didn't fuss for you."

"Me too." I sighed in relief. Nights with Jessica were hit or miss.

I'd brought my I pod and dock out on to the deck, much to Jessica's excitement. Of course Eric rolled his eyes and sighed at my choice of music but he'd just have to suck it up since it kept madam happy and clapping in her little floating ring. She clapped, bounced and made various attempts at words. Her latest favourite wasn't 'min' any more but 'fah'.

"Eric we have to be more careful what we say in front of Jessica."

"Why?"

"I think she's trying to say a curse word!" I was mortified at the idea of her first word being a rude one.

"What?"

"She's saying 'fah' I think she's saying … well, f.u.c.k." I spelled out instead of saying it- again.

Eric just laughed a big, hearty laugh.

"It's not FUNNY! Eric, if her first word is … that, what's the social worker going to think?"

"We'll introduce her to Pam and she'll understand."

"No, we just, we have to watch our language."

"Yes of course." he scoffed.

I just rolled my eyes at him. He'd be sorry if she was running around in a few months saying only swear words!

Jessica was definitely a water baby. She loved being in the pool and it was much to her chagrin when I had to take her out. She started to wail.

"But it's time for food. You like food too, Jessica."

She had her chicken strips, corn and tots all spread across her high chair tray, all down her front, up her nose and in her hair. And I was the one feeding her! How in the hell?

"Seriously, feeding this kid is like an art form when she's done!" I said as Eric made his way inside. His tan was coming along nicely, not that I was looking or anything.

"Yeah the other day we attempted yogurt, and Jesus, it was everywhere! And she only ate like four spoonfuls! I don't get it either."

My cell rang. It was Tara freaking out that Sophie-Ann was deciding she wanted to change the menu. Of course, the customers, the staff and the cooks were freaking because everyone was well used to their regular meals.

"Tara, what can we do? As she's so fond of reminding us, she's the boss, not us. We're merely her servants." I chuckled. Still, she begged me to reason with Sophie in the hopes of not confusing the already confused, and very new might I add, wait staff. New because she insisted on firing all the old staff for next to no reason. As much as I tried to reason with her, I got nowhere. My frustrations with her were growing by the day, as was the loss in our patrons.

"The boss being a nightmare?" Eric asked, sipping his water as he leaned his very topless self against the sink. I wasn't at all distracted by how low slung his basketball shorts were, not at all.

"Yes, she's basically undoing all my hard work for the last few years. I honestly don't know what her issue is, but she has one, and with me. Even though she pretends she doesn't. Her father flat out told me in front of her a year or more ago he'd rather the restaurant and bar be in my hands and if ever I wanted to buy Sophie's share, he'd be more than willing to sell it to me."

"Wow."

"Yeah, I mean it's always been something I wanted to do, you know? Own my own business, run it all the way I wanted." Why was I telling him this, seriously?

"And why haven't you?"

Ah, therein lies the rub. Why hadn't I? I had some savings. Gran had left me a little nest egg. I had her house as collateral… Why hadn't I stepped up and tried?

Fear of failure was an awful thing.

"I have my reasons but mostly, right now, it would be too hectic what with Jessica and everything." I avoided. He probably knew I was bullshitting him, but I just wasn't up for discussing my fears.

He seemed to accept that and we moved on. I told him I was cooking Sam dinner, to which he of course rolled his eyes, telling me that it was a second date- technically a first date- and Sam should be the one doing the work, not the girl.

I ignored him.

"I like to cook."

"Yeah, and you're very good at it. I'm just saying, second date and you're cooking at your house no less? That's sends a guy a message."

"And what kind of message would that be?"

"Sex."

"Excuse me?"

"SEX." He said loud and obnoxious, even though he was standing on the other side of the kitchen island. "It's when two people who like each other get naked and make noises." He grinned.

"_Asshole."_

"Thank you."

"I'm serious. It's just dinner. It's … it doesn't mean anything! And it certainly doesn't mean that!"

"Sex?" He tried to look innocent.

"Stop saying that, or it'll be her first word."

"It might be 'asshole' the amount of times I get called it. She's going to think it's my name."

"Oh, isn't it?" I sassed.

By the time eight thirty arrived I had successfully showered, dressed and done my hair. The roast chicken dinner I'd been cooking was well on it's way to being complete. Jessica was fed, washed and in her pyjamas, playing happily on living room floor when Eric came down the stairs. He'd disappeared for nearly an hour. What he was doing, I had no idea, but when he came down he was in a freshly pressed white shirt and black dress pants. His stubble was gone and if I was honest, he smelled damn good.

"You look nice." he offered. "No sex dress then?" Winking at me on his way to the kitchen, I picked Jessica up and followed him.

"There will be no sex. It's only our second date and It's not like I'm … you."

"Oh, ha." he deadpanned.

"Please, like you aren't going out to just bang this Ginger girl and come home."

"Excuse me, but I have a date planned."

"Oh, really? Doing what?"

"Things that are none of your business. Do you see me asking what you and Doc Brown have planned? Nope."

"That's because you hate him."

"I didn't say I hated him."

"Right. No, you didn't but everything in your being tells me you do every time I mention, talk to, or see him. Forgive the assumption." I checked on my chicken. It was browning nicely.

"So I don't like him, so what?"

"No what, I just… well will I get to meet Ginger?"

Did I really want to meet her though?

"Why?"

"I don't know Eric, maybe because we've been living here for over a month now and really I know very little about you."

He scoffed, "You know plenty about me!"

"Oh yeah? Okay so I know how you like your eggs. You like to run to chill might have an addiction to ice-cream, and you think I don't know about all the sugar you keep giving Jessica. But what do I know about you?"

"Well, like what?"

"Like, where did you grow up? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Where are your parents? What do they think of you taking on Jessica? You know, normal things!"

"But those are stupid, boring, unimportant things."

"Well, maybe they're important to me."

"_Why?"_

"I don't know, maybe you come from a long line of serial killers or sell babies on the black market, or chain blonde women up in your basement for fun. I don't know why Eric."

"I never took you as someone into bondage Sookie."

That was it. I threw the nearest thing I could at him, which just happened to be Jessica's empty sippy cup.

"Not funny!"

Of course he caught it with a smirk. "Sure it is. I mean, I hear it's painful at first …"

"Eric."

"Sookie, I'd love to stay and chat but I have a date…" he motioned to walk out the kitchen door but turned and came back, kissing Jessica quickly on the head. "Be good for Aunt Sookie, because her chicken is burning." He said to the baby.

"My chicken is - SHI- SUGAR, MY CHICKEN!"

He smiled and was on his merry way. I, on the other hand, had a baby and a smoking chicken to worry about.

**EPOV:**

I'd met Ginger at my bar, the usual place we'd meet before we'd do nothing more than hook up for a few hours before… well, before things got awkward. She yelled at me and usually left in a huff, and yet, she still agreed to see me again.

We had a drink and made some ridiculous chit chat. Pam came and went with more than a sarcastic glint in her eyes. I ignored her the best I could.

"So Eric, no one has seen you around lately."

"No one?"

"Well, me." she smiled "Where've you been?"

"I told you I've had things to take care of."

"Such as?"

"A one year old little girl." I just came out with it, a bit like with Tiffany. I didn't see the point in lying.

Her eyes bulged. "You have A KID?"

"I do now, yeah." I sipped my beer.

"Who's the mother?"

"Hadley Hale. She's dead."

Her eyes bulged again.

"Her father was Alcide. He was my best friend. He's dead too."

Saying it out loud caused something in my chest to ache.

"Jesus, Eric… Are you doing it alone? Do you need help?"

Tell me she didn't just bat her lashes at me?

"Her cousin, Hadley's I mean, she's… we're doing it. Raising her I mean. Legally and stuff she's ours now."

"Oh." her smile faltered slightly.

"Yeah."

"So that's why you moved? That's why you have haven't called?"

"Yeah, that's why."

"And the girl?"

"Sookie Stackhouse, she's the manager over at The Crown. You know it?"

"Yeah, that place is amazing. The staff are just so nice!"

I nodded. That would be Sookie's influence. She'd hate for anyone to be impolite to a guest, no matter who they were.

"So you and she are just livin' together and raisin' this baby? Gawd Eric, that's so weird. I, for one, never saw you as a daddy."

I took another sip, a larger one. "That makes two of us."

"I'm glad you called though. I thought for sure that night that you kicked me out, that was it."

It should have been, and the fact that she came back after I'd kicked her out- like the asshole I was spoke volumes of her self-worth. I was using her. I had been using her, and it dawned on me I felt like shit for the first time for doing it.

I blamed it on living with Sookie. Too much damn womanly advice on a daily basis. I was acting and feeling like a total pussy! I'd been celibate and sleep deprived for well over a month. Now there was a hot, easy woman tracing her fingers up my thigh and I…wasn't interested.

Somewhere along the lines, someone had lopped off my balls- I was sure of it.

Ginger, while her accent was thick and her voice high, was a beautiful woman. But beautiful in that it took bleach, pounds of makeup and heels to make her so. Nothing about her was natural, and I'd seen it all so I knew. Not her hair colour or length, not her nails, her tan, her teeth, or her breasts. It was all fake. She had a natural warmth though, one that men like me took advantage of.

Did I mention I felt like shit?

She had a few more drinks and I got us dinner from the kitchen. All in all, it was a couple of hours listening to her problems. I did try my best to be attentive, but there was just something that made me zone out.

"I'd love to meet her." She said suddenly.

"Who?"

"The baby…?"

"Jessica." I offered.

"Yeah, Jessica."

"You know, it's late she's probably already in bed."

"In bed. Isn't that where we should be by now?" she winked.

Usually, she'd have been dead right. Right now? I wasn't so sure.

She took my hand and led me to my car. I guess we were going to my place.

**SPOV:**

I smoothed down the front of my blouse. It was white and crisp and I hoped it stayed that way. I'd changed after I put Jessica to bed. Somehow she still had something sticky on her hand no matter how much I'd wiped at it and of course, it landed with a splat on my boob. Not a good look.

I smiled. "Sam you look lovely. Come in."

"Hi, likewise, but that's always the case with you Sookie."

I blushed. As silly as it was, compliments still made me shy. "Trust me if you'd seen me as I was attempting to bathe Jessica, it would be a whole other story. I was soaked." Good one Sookie. Talk about how wet you were within five minutes of the guy arriving. "Uh, I mean… it… come in, don't mind me." I attempted to conceal my blush.

"So." he looked around as we made our way into the kitchen, "Eric not here then?"

"No he's on a date."

"Oh."

"Why, hoping to see him?" I teased.

"Yeah, you know, I haven't reached my quota on insults or rudeness today. I'd like to get it up there."

"I understand. It's a numbers thing." I smirked. It was common knowledge, at this point, that Eric just wasn't going to warm to Sam, and I had no idea why. He and I managed to have a wonderful dinner. He was funny and insightful, and all-around sweet guy.

"Sookie, that was amazing. You should be a chef." he said leaning back and patting his belly.

"Oh I don't know, it was a little seared."

"Eh, I like it well done."

"It wasn't too dry?"

"Not at all! Thoroughly enjoyed it."

"Good, well why don't you go take a seat in the den? I'll be through with dessert."

Ice cream and apple pie. Was it wrong that dessert was my favourite part of a meal?

I found him on one of the couches flipping through my iPod, but he turned down the volume when I came in and sat next to him.

"So we've talked all about me all evening, Sookie. What should we talk about now?" he smiled.

"I ask a lot of questions don't I?"

"It's nice though. Most girls are just all 'me, me, me.' You're not like them- in more ways than one." he tucked the stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"I've been thinking about something." he whispered, even though we were alone.

I think I knew what he was thinking.

"What's that?"

"What it would be like to kiss you."

I fought the blush I felt creeping in my cheeks. Instead of turning away I turned to face him and we kissed. He was sweet, slow and gentle, everything that a first kiss should be. But there was something missing. That spark that I so longed for again wasn't there. Try as I might, I couldn't ignite it. It was still good though. It felt good. It felt nice to be desired and wanted again. He was a wonderful guy and I was attracted to him. He was hot and making out with him on the couch was extremely good. But I was … well… distracted.

I had Jessica's monitor to my left. The iPod was on so that was distracting me. His scruff was kind of annoying me where that sort of thing used to turn me on. All in all, I wasn't there with him and he knew it.

"Something wrong?" he asked from above me, mid-make out.

"No, no of course not. I'm just listening for the baby. Habit." I smiled.

"She's fine. She's sound asleep." he kissed my neck again and it lulled me into a sense of comfort so I tried to forget about everything and just enjoy myself. I was just getting into it, and letting Sam have a little under the shirt action, when I heard a car pull into the driveway to the back of the house.

Shit.

_Please don't let his date be with him, please don't let his date be with him._

Hypocritical of me? Totally, but I just wasn't sure I could take an evening of over-hearing Eric's loud sexing. Or what I assumed would be loud sexing. I'd wager he'd put on a show if he knew it would annoy me, which I'd told him it wouldn't, but it's not like I could actually say "Hey I can date, but you can't because it might upset me, kay?"

No somehow I don't think he'd go for that.

I pushed Sam away gently, "I don't want him walking in on us."

"Doesn't he know not to?"

"It's Eric." I said, and hoped he'd know Eric didn't like to play by other people's rules.

"I guess we should go say hello?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, wouldn't it be rude?"

"If he's getting laid, I don't think he'd want us butting our noses in."

"Still, it's only polite." I got up and fixed my blouse and hair in attempt to maybe look like I didn't just spend the last half hour making out with my date with some serious heavy petting.

Of course, the second Eric saw me he smirked. He knew exactly what we'd been up to.

"Sookie, how'd Jess do?"

Seriously he was asking about the baby without even introducing me to his date? The date being a leggy, skinny, bleach blonde woman with a questionable fake tan. I put on my best customer service smile and greeted her warmly.

**EPOV:**

Pulling up the driveway, all lights were out in the living room so I assumed they were in the den- just as she said. Sure I could have pulled up and gone through the front, but where would the fun be in that. Of course, I didn't expect her to jump him on their second date, but Sam was a guy and when there's a woman that hot- cooking for you no less- you'll want to jump her. It was just common knowledge. That, and Sam looked like a horny little fucker. So when I saw her walking out of the den to say hi, her lipstick smeared all over her face and her blouse buttoned wrong, it was a little surprising that she'd gone along with Sam and his smarmy, wanting ways.

Yeah I hated him, so sue me.

"Eric have you forgotten your manners? Hi, I'm Sookie. You must be Ginger!" She said excitedly. What she was so excited about I had no idea.

"Oh, right, sure. Ginger, this is Sookie. Sookie, Ginger." I waved my hand between the two.

"Hi, it's just so nice to meet you, Sookie." Ginger's accent was thicker than Sookie's, and it drawled a lot more on most words too. "I've heard so much about you tonight. I feel like I know you already."

Yeah, she was lying. I mentioned her name and that we were rising Jess together, and that she worked at The Crown.

"Oh, well, isn't that sweet? I'm sure Eric would have told me more about you, but you know how he is."

Ginger nodded as Sookie's voice was still doing that weird high-pitched thing. It definitely didn't sound normal. In fact, it sounded false as hell. Ginger launched into her life story as Sookie poured us a drink. She laughed and smiled and nodded along. Still, there was something off. She was never this pleasant. Even for Sookie this was over kill.

"So, uh, I take it the date with Doctor Love didn't go well?" I asked Sookie but before she could answer, Squints came out of the den and into the kitchen.

"Actually the date's been going great. Thanks for the concern, Eric." Sam smiled at me with that self-serving, smug look that basically said 'fuck you I'm still here.' Asshole.

"Oh, well isn't this … nice."

"Would you and Ginger care to join us for a drink? We were just relaxing after dinner. Of course if you'd rather not, I don't want to keep you from… well from whatever else it is you'd rather be doing." She blushed, clearly thinking Ginger and I would be up to something else if left alone.

"Uh, no, actually."

"Oh, come on, Eric, it's not often I get to meet any of your friends and Sookie seems so sweet. One drink?"

I had both women looking at me expectantly. "Fine, whatever. Ginger, why don't you go on in with Sam? Sookie and I will get the drinks, right Sookie?"

I was hoping she sensed my tone.

"Sure." She nodded to Sam and he and Ginger started to chit chat on their way into the other room.

"What the hell?"

"What?" she tried to look innocent. "I asked if you minded. You said you didn't!"

"I … don't I just…"

"Just what?"

"This isn't weird for you? It's weird for me!"

"Why? It's a drink, not a bomb!"

"I know that. It's just Ginger and I, well, we don't talk much… or at all."

"Eric, that's silly. Of course you talk."

"Nope. It's pretty much flirting, drinks, sex, and leaving."

"That's disgusting. How could you be so … so…"

"Sookie, she's not my girlfriend and she's not going to be. So this is just unnecessary awkward for no reason!"

"For you." she pointed out, handing me a fruity looking drink in a weird glass.

"What?"

"Well, it's awkward, for you."

"Yes! Of course awkward for me." I whispered, "Now can you make something up so I can like, show her the house and leave."

"_No."_

"What? Why?"

"Because I think it's nice that we both have company over and it's nice to be nice Eric. You're good at it when you really try. So how about you go in there and you make nice with the girl you're fucking, and I go continue to have a nice evening with my date?"

I glared at her. It was all I could do since I couldn't yell, or they'd hear me.

"Bottoms up." she smiled, handing me a beer and shimmying her way into the other room. Oh payback's a bitch Sookie.

When we walked into the den, it was all very romantic and instantly made me feel like I was interrupting. The lights where set low. There was music coming from somewhere. There was wine, and of course, Sam.

That killed the mood.

Of course, he was being just his 'charming' self with Ginger, asking all about her. Sookie, of course, nodded along and smiled. I honestly felt like I was in the twilight zone. Having this 'date' with Ginger was a horrible idea, and one that I regretted. You see, Ginger had expectations of me, or us. She wanted a 'relationship' and most of the women that I …and I use the term loosely here, but that I dated- they knew me. They knew a relationship wasn't in the cards.

Ginger? Well, she just didn't take the hint. My own stupidity of wanting to one up Sookie led to both of them getting along and talking about how hot summers were in Louisiana, and how difficult it was being blonde in the heat and sun. I mean honestly, what the hell?

"So Eric, how did you and Ginger meet?" Sam asked. I fought the glare I wanted to shoot him. Sookie was sitting next to him ever so closely, too closely if you ask me, while Ginger sat on my left on the other couch.

"Uh, well, we met at a party around Christmastime, I think."

Ginger nodded. "It was Pam's Christmas party. Her parties are legendary for being a hoot, and they really are. Eric and I ran into each other… and well." She smiled. Sam nodded and Sookie took a rather large sip of her wine.

I didn't tell them she was the 'entertainment' for the evening's festivities. "And we just went from there." I added in. They didn't need to know we hooked up twenty minutes later.

"I see." Sookie said. "And Ginger, what do you do?"

"I'm a dancer."

"Oh, ballet?" Sam asked.

"Uh, no. Exotic."

Sookie spat out her wine. I cringed. I'd forgotten to mention that little detail.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It went down the wrong way." She coughed to cover it up. "That's … nice, Ginger."

"Ginger what's your last name?" Sam asked.

"Rodgers."

I saw Sookie bite her cheek to stop from laughing. Just as Sookie was no doubly about to make another awkward attempt at conversation, the baby monitor came to life with a shrill. Both she and I jumped.

"I'll get her!" We said in unison.

"No, really Eric, let me." She eyed me.

"No, it's fine; you sit."

"Nope, it's my night." She took off like a shot with the monitor in hand. I'd almost got my ass on the seat when Sam asked Ginger how she enjoyed her job.

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to see if Sookie needs any help with … the … yeah." I nodded, hightailing it out of the den.

I found Sookie cuddling a crying Jessica, who looked startled.

"She was looking around like she didn't know where she was. I think she might have had a nightmare."

"Do babies have nightmares?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess they probably do? Shh, baby, it's okay."

The second Jessica saw me she hushed up, blinking away her tears and looking back at Sookie.

"Yeah, see, Eric's here too. You're okay baby, it's all okay." Sookie gave Jessica her bottle, which she took more than willingly. Her little eyes darting from Sookie to me. Of course the second Sookie put her back in her crib she started to wail again.

"Come on, Jessica, Sookie and I are trying to have an awkward night with our … friends."

"It is awkward." she nodded "I had no idea Ginger was a stripper, Eric!" she smiled. "Classy."

"Hey, the world needs strippers." Granted I hadn't really thought that sentence through.

"Sure, of course we do. And one day when Jessica comes home and says "Hey guys, I've decided, I don't want to go to college, I want to take my clothes off for a living. That's okay right?" and I'm sure you'll be fine and tell her just that. The world needs more strippers."

"Fine, you have a point."

"I know I do." She looked smug.

"I think Ginger and I need to leave." I took Jessica from her crib and attempted to calm her down.

"Why?"

"Hello, did you not witness the awkward? Asking her out again was a bad idea." I conceded.

"Because?"

"I don't know." I lied. "It was just a bad idea. She has expectations that I have no intention of stepping up to. I need to tell her that."

Sookie just nodded in agreement, though I noticed she didn't look at me.

"Well, yes you do. I mean, it's not fair to her if you're just going to lead her on in the hopes of having something that she wants, only to drop her like a sack of potatoes."

"I know."

"Good. I mean if it's fun it's fun, but as long as she knows that's all it is, and that girl… she had the look of a lot more than screwing around in her eyes."

"Oh god, really?"

"_Really."_

I cringed, walking and hushing the baby as best as I could.

"What about you and Doctor L-"

"Sam. His name is Sam and I know you know that, so please?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine, SAM."

"Thank you. And yeah, we're fine. It was a nice dinner, some good conversation, he's lovely." She smiled bashfully, tucking stray hair behind her ear.

Nice, fine, lovely. How exciting, I thought, but I did my best to keep it under wraps.

"Hey, Jess, miss me?"

"Eric, don't. She'll get all riled up!"

"Sookie, look at her; she's wide awake."

She was all bright-eyed and curious.

"What are we going to do?"

"I say we just … bring her with us. I mean, she is a huge part of our lives now, right? If they can't deal with that… then…"

She nodded.

"You're right. Of course, you're right."

So we did. We brought the baby to our respective dates. Sam, of course, she knew and wasn't at all fussed about but she knew Ginger was a stranger, and because of that, she dug her little hands into the neck of my shirt, holding on for dear life as if we were about to give her away.

"Oh, hi, Jessica." Ginger baby voiced. Jess just furrowed her little barely there brows. Needless to say, I was thinking the same thing. What the hell? Right? "Oh, she is just too precious! Hi baby girl, hiiiii." Ginger sounded out again, while Sookie took Sam into the kitchen to make her a fresh bottle of warm milk. "Oh, Eric she's too cute. Are you sure she isn't yours? With those blue eyes and that hair I'd almost have to think twice."

"She's not. She takes after Sookie's side of the family, the blond and the blue eyes."

She nodded. "Sookie seems nice- very sweet. Bangin' too." She also added, while I didn't answer one way or the other.

"So are you two…?"

"What?"

"Doin' it?"

I rolled my eyes, seriously why did everyone think that?

"No!"

"Can I hold her?"

"_Sookie?"_

"No, the baby. I love babies."

Of course she did, of course.

A stripper with a heart of gold. It was like a Julia Roberts flick- or was that a hooker?

I handed Jessica to her reluctantly just in time for Sookie and Sam to walk back into the room. Jessica didn't like Ginger one bit, as evidence by her big pouting lip,followed by the whack. The whack was the sound of her little hand slapping Ginger across the face. I wanted to laugh so badly, but I figured if I did I was screwed.

"Jessica!" Sookie scolded. "Oh, goodness, Ginger, I'm so sorry! She's usually not so …"

"Violent." I offered.

"No, it's fine. I'm just a stranger to her it's understandable."

What wasn't, however, was the scream Jess gave, looking at both Sookie and I with a "What did I ever do to you" look on her little face. Thankfully Sookie stepped in.

"Sam and I will go put her down. It was nice to meet you, Ginger."

"Likewise, Sookie, hope to see you again soon."

"Uh, yeah." Sookie looked at me on the way out, a 'good luck' vibe in her eyes. Yeah, Ginger and her hopes needed to be nipped in the bud. I couldn't keep leading her into a false sense of what she was going to get from me.

"Ginger ,I think maybe I should take you home."

"Why? We haven't even had sex yet."

I ran my hand through my hair. I wasn't really used to dumping a girl...before sex.

"I know, and I think maybe we shouldn't do that again."

She looked like I had two heads. "Are you dying?"

"No! Look, I just… you and I, honestly, you know I'm not the one for you Ginger. I know you're not the one for me. We're fooling around and it always ends with you upset."

"I thought maybe you'd changed your mind, at least a little. I like you Eric. I think that much is obvious."

"And I like you too, but you know that this was never… and now I have Jessica to think about, and believe, me as much as I'd love to just say screw it, and have all that bendy stripper sex with you.\," I smiled and she laughed, thankfully she knew I was kidding. "I can't. I don't know why, but… I can't. I need something more."

"Threesome? We could ask Sookie-"

"As awesome as that sounds…" I took a moment to enjoy that visual for all it was worth. "Ginger…"

"I won't say I'm not disappointed. I mean, you're a good guy. You can be a cold bastard when it suits you, but hey, let's face it, we were sex. And that sex was exceptional." She quirked a brow at me. "But yeah, right now, maybe you do need more, or less."

"Less?"

"Seems to me that you have one woman in your life that is going to be demanding all of your attention from now on, and she comes with a momma. That's going to be a hard pill for some girls to take. Especially one that looks like Sookie."

I didn't say anything.

"Oh, come on, Eric, the girl is hot. Are her breasts real?"

"Ginger, really?"

"Sorry, right. Well, what do you want? I've been dumped by you twice now, only this time you're being an actual human being about it Northman. Same song, different verse. But you're right, our duet is over." She smiled at me sweetly. "I text my friend Mindy when you and Sookie went to check on the baby. I figured one way or another we weren't going to be together tonight. She'll be here in twenty."

"I would have driven you home. I'm not a total asshole." I argued.

"You're not an asshole at all; that's your problem. It's why when you act like one it just doesn't suit you."

I said my goodbye's to Ginger and saw her off. I was willing to try this single thing for real. I mean I had a kid, a house and a … co-parent that I may or may not have some kind of feelings to deal with. I think that was more than enough. It didn't seem to be more than enough for Sookie, however, when I walked up the stairs to see if she had any issues with the baby.

Apparently she didn't, and she had little or no issue with Sam either, or so the noises coming from her room told me. I ignored the jealous pang that ran through me. At this point, I had no right to be jealous of him, or how ever many positions he was in with her right then. She wasn't mine. I had no claim to her, and I kept telling myself I didn't want claim on her. I didn't want her to be mine. Except I kept hearing everyone 's voice on how it was inevitable. Did I want her because I'd always wanted her? Or did I want her because it was convenient, expected, easily accessible? I turned on my iPod and did my best to drown out both the thoughts that were plaguing my mind, and the possibility of any and all sounds coming from across the hall.

I'd deal with it all later. _Much later._

**Mucho thankies to Makesmyheadspin for beta'ing this baby for you all, she's just awesome sauce! Reviews are love *nudge nudge* Hope you enjoyed it guys! :D **_  
_


	12. Chapter 12

**SPOV:**

Ginger was sweet, kind, and chatty, and any other time I'd have been more than willing to become friends with someone like her. But as it was, all I knew was she and Eric were sexing partners and that just annoyed me. And it annoyed me that it annoyed me, because it shouldn't have annoyed me! I had no tie to him, nor had I any hold over him, and yet seeing how close she was sitting and how attached to his thigh her fingers were... well, it stung.

I sipped my wine a little quicker than I should have, though I had to be careful. The last thing I wanted was a repeat performance of the other night—and my word vomit—while feeling like I needed to actually vomit.

No, not good.

Thankfully Jessica told us her needs were to be met just in the nick of time. I really wanted to have a nice evening with all of them—I mean, if we were going to be seeing her around more—I'd have liked to have gotten to know Ginger at least. Though, the look in Eric's eyes told me he had other plans.

Jessica looked scared and I felt so bad for the poor thing all over again. I wasn't sure if babies had nightmares, but I'd assumed she had. She looked so unsure as she clung to me and I clung back just as strongly.

As much as I complained in the beginning about Eric and his parenting commitment, I'd _really_ been wrong about him. He'd stepped up in a way I never imagined, and she loved him just as much as he loved her—even if he'd never admit it. My twinge of jealously over her preferring him melted as soon as I saw them together; it was just too adorable not to appreciate.

Jessica wasn't too fond of Sam. I was convinced she was more related to Eric than she was to me sometimes! Poor Ginger though. Jess was a baby of few opinions, but she knew her people. When she slapped Ginger right across the face, I hoped she wouldn't make a habit of it; it looked slightly painful.

I figured it was time to give her and Eric some much needed privacy though, and I knew Sam was thankful to be away from them.

We put Jessica in her crib. Thankfully, she laid down with her new and warm bottle, chugging it happily. Before I knew it, her little eyes were closing.

"Normally she's a total nightmare for me at night."

"Aw, I'm sure once she gets into a routine of having you around at night she'll settle."

"It's been a month now, Sam. I just think she doesn't like me very much."

He smiled at me, rubbing my shoulder. "She will."

"She adores Eric." I said offhandedly.

"God, why?" he smirked.

I turned around and was met with a kiss.

"What was that for?" I asked when we broke apart.

"I like you Sookie, just in case I'm not making it … you know, embarrassingly obvious. I just figured I'd tell you."

I smiled.

"We should let her sleep." I took him by the hand before I grabbed her other monitor—the one that I'd taken from downstairs—and we went into my bedroom.

"I didn't plan on you being up here… at least not yet." I admitted.

"So, there was a plan for it to happen at some point? Does that mean you like me, too?" Sam asked, casually looking around my room that I'd thankfully had the forethought to tidy before dinner.

"Maybe…" I sat down on my bed and patted the space next to me for him to come sit down. He did; both of us leaning against the headboard to keep us sitting up properly.

"Comfy."

"Yeah, Hadley had a thing for big beds, and I guess married to Alcide she kind of needed to." I laughed. "So all the rooms are decked out in the most awesomely massive beds."

He nodded and we fell into a short silence.

"So… Ginger was a hoot."

"Yeah, Eric sure can pick 'em. She was sweet though. I wasn't expecting that."

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know… I mean, it's none of my business who he sleeps with you know? Just like it's none of his business who I…"

Oh digging myself a hole, here we go.

"I mean, not that I am sleeping with anyone. I mean, I'm not … not."

"Sookie, relax. I didn't come over here tonight expecting you and I to end up in bed together."

I looked at where we were sitting and I burst out laughing.

"You have an awesome laugh, it's so genuine. You should laugh more, it suits you."

"Yeah? Well, lately I haven't had that many funny things to laugh at I'm afraid."

With that he dug his two fingers into my side causing me to jump. "Sam.. SAM!" I warned out loud, a little too loud. Then I whispered, "Don't you dare Mister."

He grinned, an evil grin. Oh shit.

"Mister? What is this 1945?" He tickled me again and I laughed my legs flailing up in the air. "Sam!"

I couldn't stop giggling. "Oh my god! Seriously, Sam!"

I thought I heard Eric's bedroom door closing quietly, and I cringed at the thought of he and Ginger in there. God, I hoped they wouldn't be loud.

Sam soon stopped the tickles once I told him that if I kneed him in the balls I wouldn't even be the tiniest bit sorry about it. Instead he kissed me. And this time, without all my distractions it was actually hot. So we kissed, and kept on kissing until both of us were a little breathless—and Sam more than a little aroused.

"Sam, not to be a total cockblocker of a date here, but… we need to stop." I said coming up for air as his lips found my neck.

"_Sam…"_

"Right, of course. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, it was nice…" I smiled kissing him on the lips again. "I'm just not ready to-"

"You don't have to explain, it's more than fine." He shifted so that we could get up.

"No, you stay here..." he whispered to me as I walked to the bedroom door. "Get some rest before Jessica is up with the sun." He smiled sweetly before he kissed me once again, this time a quick chaste kiss on the lips. "I had fun tonight, Sookie."

"Me too, all things considered… It wasn't a total disaster this time, right?"

"Not a total disaster." He agreed sweetly. "Does that mean I can call you?"

I nodded. " Of course."

He agreed to call me the next day and I agreed to pick up. It was all very cute and awkward but it was something that I realized I enjoyed. It had been so long since I'd been flirted with or teased in a cutesy way. Bill was never cutesy and he never flirted. Thinking back on it, I don't really know how he got me to agree to dating him. I think it was a loneliness thing with him. I just hoped I wasn't making the same mistake with Sam.

I mean, I knew this time I wasn't lonely—I had my hands full; I had my life full. And Sam was the type of guy all girls want one day, right? That sweet guy you know will be a caring husband and a doting father. The guy you see thirty years down the line with.

That's what I wanted, right?

Right?

**EPOV:**

I was up before sun rise the next morning, and I decided I needed a really long, intense run. I needed to get my head together, and I needed to start now. This screwing around with ideas, notions of what my life is meant to be or not to be; who I'm meant to be; who I'm meant to be with. It was all driving me a little nuts.

Running helped that. Sure I could just hop on a treadmill or something for an hour, but nothing beat the sound of your feet pounding the pavement and passing the world by with some good music replacing your mangled thoughts.

I stopped to tie my laces tighter on the lawn, noticing that the houses around the block were starting to come to life. The neighborhood was very much upper class, maybe some middle class, too. Not surprising really. Alcide had grown up dirt poor, and Hadley wasn't much better. They both wanted more for their kids, which meant a nice place to grow up, good schools, and if they chose, a good college. Alcide had told me this on one of our many drinking binges before he finally ran off to Vegas and married Hadley. He wanted a better life for his wife and his kids. He'd have lots of them if she allowed—he figured it was her call. She was the one carrying them, and I had to agree. These guys who insisted on four kids in four years? No way. It was a woman's call. Men had the easy job—they got laid.

I remembered how excited he was when they found out Had was pregnant. I, of course congratulated him, and scared myself into double bagging it when I had sex for the next three months after. There was no way I was having a kid. No way. I didn't want his life. I didn't want or need a wife, a steady schedule of what to do and when to do it, dinner and conversation every night, bedtime stories… I didn't want that at all.

But I got it. I got it all—and at his expense—and now that I had it all, I found I liked it. Weird, right? I liked having a 'home' that was warm and comfortable, and not just with a sofa, a flat screen and all my toys, but stupid shit like lamps that make the room glow warm and breakfast conversation. And as much as Sookie's chatter drove me nuts, I found I'd grown used to it.

And then there was Jessica. Four short weeks ago, the idea of looking after a one-year old would have made my teeth itch. I wasn't a baby person; I avoided them and that worked out just fine.

But then they handed her over and she clung to me with so much innocent trust. Right away she took to me. She looked at me and she took me for what I was—just this man who had to take care of her. She trusted me to do that, because who else did she have? Her parents that loved and adored her where suddenly gone, and she was stuck with Sookie and me. I loved that little girl, and in a very short period of time, I found that if she were suddenly not there any more, the gap in my life would be very much irreplaceable. I knew Sookie felt the same way, even if she was having her doubts about her mothering capabilities. She had it in her whether she believed it or not she and Jessica would click sooner or later. And if they didn't, she'd have me to help—always.

_Always._

Now there was a scary notion. I'd tried my best not to think of the future. A year down the line—five; ten; twenty. The prospect scared me a little too much.

A one-year old I could handle. Could I deal with her when she was sixteen and crushing on boys (or girls), thinking of sex, slamming doors and hating me?

Maybe I could? I dealt with Pam didn't I? She was more than enough practice for a brat.

Would Sookie and I get along in all that time? Would she get married to someone else? To Sam? What would happen if she did? Or if I met someone and felt the weird need to marry them, what then? What happened to Jessica?

By the time I'd made my way back to our block, I'd created more questions for myself than I had answers. It was useless.

That's when I ran into Dawn, quite literally.

"Oh, Eric. I didn't know you ran." She said coming up beside me, spandex clinging to every part of her—bra and running leggings like a second skin atop her very tan, very toned skin.

"I do, sometimes."

"It's great isn't it? Clears your head and keeps the belly bulge gone."

I agreed.

"So, you settling in okay?"

"Yeah, it's been fine. The rest of my stuff should be shipped over today, so that'll help."

"Oh that's good. Moving is stressful, isn't it? We've moved so many times now, I've lost count."

"Oh, that must be hard."

"It is." She eyed me up and down and back up again. I'd taken off my t-shirt two miles back. The Louisiana heat, even at eight a.m., was just too much.

"Eric, would you like to come in for some iced tea? I just made it fresh."

As tempting as that was, and … she was very tempting, I declined. Why? Because I'm a pussy, that's why.

I berated myself all the way up the driveway, all the way to the back door where I kicked off my trainers. I'd hoped if I had to catch the lovers at breakfast, my run would have made me miss it. Thankfully, I was right when I walked in to find Sookie sitting at the island alone, sipping her coffee.

"Morning." I said grabbing a water from the fridge. I ignored her bed head. It was probably sex hair and I didn't want to think about that any more than I'd already done last night.

"Good morning. Good run?" She asked.

"Yeah, pretty good. Six miles before the heat started to get to me. I think my Nordic nature hates this weather so much more than I realize at times."

She smiled.

"I love it. I can't deal with the cold. I'd worship the sun if I could."

We fell silent.

"So... where's Ginger?"

"Sam not here?"

We both said at once.

"Uh, no Ginger's not here."

"That's harsh. The poor girl doesn't even get breakfast for her troubles?" She sassed with a smile.

"What about Sam?"

Then she looked at her coffee. God, she did fuck him.

Fuck.

"Um, no Sam's not here. He left last night."

Cold bastard, fucked her and left. That's like something I'd have done. In fact, it is something I'd done.

"_Oh."_

"Yeah, I mean, we talked and stuff…"

Stuff. So that's what she was calling it.

"But I thought it was for the best that he leave last night. I mean, before… things got out of hand." She blushed.

Out of hand? Did that mean sex? What did that mean…?

"Oh, so you and he didn't...? I mean…"

"No! I told you, I don't just sleep with random people, second date-cooking guys rule or no. I … I've never slept with anyone that I didn't have feelings for." She admitted, her blush deepening and spreading to her neck.

"Oh."

She shrugged it off, standing up.

"So, is Ginger here? I was going to make breakfast but I wasn't sure how many to cook for."

I decided if she could be honest, so could I.

"No, she's not. She left last night too… Before… you know."

Her eyes widened. "OH, so I slept all night with my iPod in for nothing." She mused out loud.

"Same." I agreed and we both laughed at the ridiculousness of the other.

"Sookie, I do think we need to talk though, about the whole dating thing. It's too awkward here. I know its our home now, but with you and the baby, it's all just too weird for me to be bringing chicks here knowing you're in the other room."

"Me too. God, I'm so glad you said it. I mean, I totally thought it would be fine, but it freaked me out."

I nodded. I really agreed.

"So, we're agreed then?" I asked. "The house is a skank sex free zone?"

She nodded. "If I see Sam it'll be on dates out or his place. Or we'll watch movies in the den or something, but no sexing in the house. I mean, it weirded me out too. What if Jessica overheard? It's way too confusing for a kid."

I nodded, even if it did sound like she was trying to convince herself. Who was I to argue if she wasn't going to be fucking Sam within earshot? I was okay with that.

"Jessica still asleep?" I asked.

"Yeah, her little escape downstairs last night must have knocked her out. She only stirred once after that. I'm so sorry she slapped Ginger."

This time I actually did laugh, just thinking about the look of sheer annoyance on Jessica's face. She wasn't putting up with these stranger bitches.

"Funny though."

She giggled. "Poor Ginger though. Was she really okay with it?"

"Eh, she was fine. She's resilient."

"I see that. She was sweet."

I nodded.

"Did you expect her to be a raging cow or something? I do have better taste you know! Anyway, I don't think I'll be seeing her again."

"Why not?

"Just because…" Was all I could muster, and she seemed to ignore it.

"Hey, do you want to go out for breakfast? I don't see anything in here that's appealing to me right now." She shut the fridge with a smile. "How about we go to The Crown? Our breakfasts are awesome, and I don't have to start work till ten."

"Sounds good, just let me go take a quick shower." I went to move past her and she moved in my direction. I moved again, and so did she.

"Sorry." We both said in goofy unison.

**SPOV:**

Thirty minutes later Eric was showered and ready. Jessica was changed, dressed and as cranky as I'd ever seen her. She seemed tired even though she'd slept longer than usual. I'd given her a tiny yogurt in the car just to tide her over until we got to the restaurant. But she was still cranky and you knew it was bad when even Eric and his magic touch couldn't bring her around.

"I hope she's not sick."

Eric felt her forehead. "Seems normal."

"Yeah, but maybe it's something else like a bug or something? God, please baby don't be sick."

"Hi, what can I get you?" A small skinny brown hair girl stopped at our table to take our order.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm Mindy and I'll be your waitress this morning."

Mindy, there was no Mindy.

"Mindy, I don't know you."

"No Ma'am. I started this morning."

"Ah. Mindy, I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

Her eyes widened.

"Oh, hi Ms. Stackhouse…"

"Hi. Sophie hired you I assume?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know who she fired?"

"Uh…" she chomped on her chewing gum.

"Mindy?"

"Her name was Amelia, I think?"

"Son of a bi-" I bit my tongue. I threw down my napkin. "I'll be right back. Eric pick something off the menu for me, that's if it's still the same goddamn menu!"

I walked into the office and there she was. "Sookie, you're early."

"I'm having breakfast with my fa-... I'm having breakfast here."

"Oh. Well, enjoy."

"Why did you fire Amelia?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Sophie? She was a damn hard worker! And she knows this place like the back of her hand. I don't get it!"

"Look, I know she's your friend or whatever but it just wasn't working out."

"Why?"

"I didn't like her attitude. She ignored my orders and was just a plain pain in my ass, Sookie."

"Great. So I'm down a seasoned waitress in favor of some high school student who smacks gum when taking orders." I sighed, the frustrations with my work where weighing on me daily. No wonder I was becoming such an unlikeable bitch. "Sophie, what the hell are you doing?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're changing everything, and no offense, but it's all going to shit. We're down more than a thousand dollars this month. Monday morning breakfast used to be booming, and now? There are three tables occupied; the rest are empty."

"So? This is my business. I'll run it how I see fit, and remember Sookie, I'm your boss. Not the other way around."

Bitch.

"Fine, fine. I'm going to have my breakfast then I'll be in to work."

She simply waved me off.

Eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee. I could have kissed him right there.

"You're awesome." I smiled at him as he dug into his bacon, while Jessica munched happily on hers.

We all ate in silence for a few minutes before I heard him—Lafayette—sliding into the empty chair next me.

"Save me." He said in lieu of a hello.

"That bad?" He looked at me, as if to say 'fuck yes'.

"Oh honey, last night was a nightmare. Tara and Sophie came to blows; Amelia intervened and got herself fired—she left in tears; Sophie was fuming; and the restaurant emptied in record time. Honestly, see what happens when this bitch returns?

"Don't say bitch." I warned.

"Why not, bitch?"

"Stop saying bitch! We're trying to mind our language in front of the baby."

Eric just laughed.

"What?"

"You both realize you've both said bitch about a million times just now?"

We looked at Jessica; she was attacking the bacon.

"Hi, baby girl." Lafayette tickled her chin, and she smiled. First smile of the day. Thank you for small miracles. "Hi." He said again.

And that's when it happened. We weren't looking at her but we all heard it, the little sigh of a "hi" that came from Jessica.

Eric dropped his fork on his plate.

We all looked at each other as Lafayette whispered to me. "Has she done that before?"

"No..." I whispered back. Why? I had no idea. We were treating her like a wild animal that had walked into the room and we were scared we'd spook it.

"Hi." I said again, and she did it again. Picking up her piece of bacon.

"Hi."

"Oh my God, baby! You can speak!"

Eric was beaming, and Lafayette was laughing.

"Aw white suburbanites, how nice. Enjoy." He patted me on the back before he walked back to the kitchen.

"Jessica, hi!" Eric smiled at her and she just stuffed some pancake into her mouth. "Hi?" he asked again. I'm pretty sure we both looked like lunatics singing a chorus of "hi's" to an unimpressed baby with stupid grins on our faces. But that's exactly what we did.

Best breakfast ever.

**A/N: Hey guys! Sooo, do we all still hate Sookie? *raises brow* Girl got a lot of slack last chapter, but it was to be expected (well, some of it…) But as one of my awesome readers put it best 'Sookie doesn't know she's in a story with Eric, and that's how it's MEANT to be'. So for now, she deals with how SHE thinks she's meant to deal. *shakes head at her* **

**Thank you all so much for the reviews and messages, yep even the bad ones that make me stop in my tracks, they all contribute to this story! Big thank you to Makesmyheadspin and vikinglover elle for their input and beta'ing awesomeness! MUAH.**


	13. Chapter 13

**SPOV:**

"I'm making cupcakes." I announced as I walked through the door. It was six thirty and I was dead on my feet, but I'd spent the day beaming, thinking that maybe we'd be okay after all. I mean, we weren't totally screwing her up - she wasn't mute! This was a good thing.

I found Eric and Jessica in the garden with a kid I thought I knew, but I wasn't too sure… they also had a trampoline. What the heck happened while I was at work?

"Oh hey." Eric said with a smile standing on the trampoline in his swimming shorts and white tank.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, well, that..." he pointed to the little boy. "Is Hoyt. He's Maxine's kid and she had to go to the store and had no one to watch him—he hates the store… So, anyway, she left him with us."

"Uh-huh, and the thing you're standing on?"

"OH!" His smile got bigger, much like a kid at Christmas. "This we picked up today. Pam came over and well, she likes to shop so… while I lost them in some weird shoe place, I went to the sports store—you know like a normal guy—and I found this! I always wanted one of these, they're awesome. Anyway, I set it up and these two have been having a ball all afternoon. It's great, want to try?"

"No."

"Oh come on! It's fun." He bounced once for effect.

"Maybe later. I'm in heels and a pencil skirt, Eric—not exactly bounce friendly."

"I could think of a few ways to bounce you…"

I blushed.

"There are kids present."

"Who have no idea what I'm talking about." He winked. "Okay Hoyt, once more buddy and I need a break."

"Okaay." Came his little voice. He was a few months older than Jessica and was already walking and taking apparently. Shit, maybe we weren't as good as we thought.

I picked up a rolling Jessica and gave her quick kiss and a cuddle, and I got my 'Hi.' Pleased with myself I went to get changed.

I was never as glad to see my black yoga pants and my pink crop tee than I was in that moment. Sophie had me on my feet all day—that is when I wasn't on and off the phone to the "new" suppliers she'd lined up. My feet hurt and my back ached, but I had come home armed with the goodies to make my favorite cupcakes, and that's what I was going to do.

I'd just finished getting my mix right in the bowl when in came Eric with a kid in each arm. It was a funny sight.

"Okay, they never get tired. It's not fair."

"Hi, Hoyt. Are you hungry?"

"No, ma'am. I has before." His little brown eyes looked up at me. He was just too adorable in his little white t-shirt and baby jeans. Jessica seemed quite attached to him, too. That was good; we'd need her to socialize well with other kids, and soon.

"Oh, okay. How about you, Miss Jessica?" I picked her up and got a smile. "You like cupcakes?"

"Hey, Hoyt. Does your mamma let you have sugar?"

"I has one."

"One? One... what does that mean?" I looked at Eric, he just shrugged.

"Oh, well I guess a few cupcakes won't kill you. Why don't we set something up for you two in the den, huh? We'll give Eric some quiet time and I'll be in the kitchen, okay?"

Little Hoyt nodded as I led him and Jessica into the den. I'd set up Toy Story on DVD as well as an array of toys on the floor. I left the baby monitor in there just in case.

"You know…" I said as I walked into the kitchen to find Eric with his fingers in my cake mix. "HEY!"

"Busted… What? It's too good."

"It's not cooked yet!" I slapped his hand away.

"So?" He said dipping his fingers into his mouth. "It's almost better uncooked."

"You have better had washed your hands." I scolded, to which he just rolled his eyes.

"Yes mom."

"Shut up."

"_Mom."_

"Shut up!"

"I will if I can have the spoon?" he pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

"You are just a giant man child, aren't you?

"Mmmhmm." He nodded sticking his finger through the big mixing spoon and then licking it off his finger. God, he had big hands, didn't he?

"Sookie?"

"What?"

"Didn't you hear what I said?"

"_Uh…"_

"How was work after we left?"

"Oh, total nightmare. She's switched suppliers to some random guys from New Orleans for cryin' out loud and I spent most of the day on hold with them trying to get a shipping order corrected. Honestly, I don't know how much longer I can stay working there."

"Shit, really?"

"Yeah. I mean, there is only so much I can do before I strangle her with her Hermes belt."

He just giggled at me, he was a giant man child and he giggled. Who the hell was this Eric?

"Ohh." He said as I started beating my buttercream icing mix together.

"Hands off."

"But..."

I raised my brow at him and he mumbled something about really being a mom with that look.

I ignored him as he hopped up onto the island to watch me. It was a little intimidating knowing that his eyes were on me in such a focused way, but I led myself to believe he was just a magpie for sugary things and it was really the mix he was aiming at.

And not my ass.

Of course, I was proved wrong when I turned around to find his eyes trained on my ass, and not my mix. I just ignored it.

"Can I taste it?"

"_Excuse me?"_

"The topping?"

"Oh!"

"What did you think I was talking about?" He raised a brow with that evil smirk of his ever present.

"Nothing… Nothing."

He hopped off the island and came up behind me. I just continued to mix—minding my business—not at all distracted by how nice he smelled.

"I think this mix needs something a little Nordic."

"Nordi-"

Before I could finish, he lifted the bowl from my hands and stuck his finger in it again.

"Yeah, me."

"Eric. Gimme the bowl."

"No."

"Eric..."

"Sookie..." He mocked my tone, holding the bowl up higher than I could reach. Bastard.

"Eric!" I stamped my foot.

"Aww... you're so adorable when you're having a bitch fit, Sookie." He teased in a baby voice.

"Gimme the mix or I'll kick you in the balls." I threatened. He took no notice, instead he dipped his fingers in and tapped me on the nose covering me with cupcake mix.

"_Oops_." He said with a smile.

I'll oops him!

"Oh, so that's how it is, is it? I see…"

I grabbed the smaller bowl of buttercream and my spoon, flicking it at him, with a big dollop landing on his chest.

_Score for me._

Instead of being mad, he just laughed and stuck his finger in it.

"Nice."

"Now the kids will have no cupcakes. How cruel, Eric." I pouted falsely causing him to whack me with more mix. This time it ran down my cheek into my neck and down my arm.

I went to lift the spoon from my buttercream again, only this time he was too fast for me. He went to grab it out of my hands but I backed away finally having to stop when the kitchen sink got in my way.

"Sookie, you _don't _want to do that."

"Oh, but Jedi I do." I laughed as he tried to take it away from me, but my smaller hands had the better grip this time around.

"Sookie… Give me the bowl."

"What? You can dish it out but you can't take it? Where is your sense of fairness, Northman!"

He planted his big stupid giant legs on either side of me, locking me in place while he attempted to wrestle the bowl from my hands. Instead of letting go, I tipped it up and it landed all down his front.

I didn't even feel a little bit bad. I ran my finger from his neck to his arm and licked away what my finger had collected. I had used the right amount of sugar after all.

"Yum." I laughed but when I made my move to get out of his grasp, he didn't budge. I looked up to find his eyes trained on me, in that expert way that always made my toes tingle. There was no sound except that of the kids playing through the monitor sitting on the table. There was pure silence. Not even a breath could be heard—but that might have been because I was holding mine in.

"Since you got to taste, it's only fair I do to." He said, all trace of teasing gone from his voice.

I smiled and held up the side of my hand.

"Knock yourself out."

Instead of taking my hand he shook his head 'no.' And without saying a word, he grabbed my face with both his cream covered hands and I swore he was about to kiss me… Honestly, I think I would have let him just by the way he was looking at me. The intensity was just too much. Instead, he tilted my head to the side—exposing my neck and I think my body may have melted against the sink—before he casually leaned in... and licked me. From the base of my neck to the tip of my earlobe, he licked the cream off my body and all I could do was grip the sides of the sink for dear life.

He leaned back again so I could see his eyes—hooded and unfocused. His lips were fighting a grin as he wiped them with one hand, the other still holding onto my face.

He looked at me again—this time pointedly—and said in a voice I'd heard no other time than late mornings, "You taste _good_, Sookie."

Now, before you start hearing 'Let's Get It On' humming in the background, remember that I was covered in cake batter and pinned to the kitchen sink by this mountain of man. And no matter how good he smelled, there were two kids in the other room.

"Yoouwhoo. Anyone home?" Came the shrill voice from outside.

_Maxine._

She knocked politely on the back door before walking in.

"Hi y'all… oh my. Did the kids make this mess?"

"No." I answered. "Just the giant kid." I pointed to Eric and he laughed. Both of us moved a discreet distance from each other.

"Oh, well. Messes are meant to be made I suppose. How was Hoyt?" She asked with a smile towards Eric.

"He was perfect, really. He and Jessica get along so well, and he's a fun little man. They had a blast on the trampoline."

"You sure he was no trouble? Thanks so much for looking after him. Usually my sister calls around and sees to him, but she's working today of all days and well it was this, or he scream his lungs out for an hour. So thank you."

"I'll go get him for you; they're watching a DVD in the den." She nodded and smiled as I took my first deep breath in what seemed like hours while making my way to the den. I found them both stretched out on the floor glued to Woody and Buzz, but the toys that I'd laid out neatly where now all over the place. Well, at least they got along.

"Hey, Hoyt... your mamma is here to take you home. Okay, baby? You can come visit again soon, okay?"

He didn't look one bit impressed, but he agreed. I scooped Jessica up in my arms, and led him by his little hand to the kitchen.

She thanked us again profusely before she left, grinning rather suspiciously at Eric and I, as well as our mess. But she did offer to reciprocate again anytime, since she reminded us that she used to do it for Hadley and Alcide every week when they had a date.

It tugged at my heart to know she'd never have another date. We thanked her and told her we'd call if we needed anything and for her to do the same.

When she was finally gone Eric, Jessica and I were left looking at the mess we'd made in the kitchen.

"I better clean this up. Can you take her?"

"No, I'll clean it up. Shit, I made most of the mess."

That you licked up. _LICKED_. I got those cursed tingles again just thinking of how his warm tongue felt on my skin.

"It's fine, really I—"

"Sook, go get cleaned up. I'll do this, it's fine." he shrugged. It seemed that neither of us were going to talk about the licking. I could deal with that. The less awkward, the better.

"What about you? You're …" I laughed out loud then. We really did look ridiculous completely covered in yellow cake mix and buttercream topping.

"I'll shower after you."

Oh sure, just make me envision you in the shower now why don't you…

"Okay, sure." I set Jessica in her highchair with a few toys and her pacifier, and she seemed content enough. Thankfully.

He licked me. Who does that—in a kitchen of all places—to someone they aren't having sex with? I mean, really… it's not that it was gross or anything. In fact, he was very neat and efficient about ridding my neck of any unwanted cream, but still. He was brave, I'll give him that. So... maybe I thought about him a little bit more—maybe a lot more while I showered; and maybe I thought about what it would be like if he were maybe in there with me, but … it's not like I wanted him really, so it was totally and completely innocent.

_Yes, I do bullshit myself quite regularly. Thanks for noticing._

I sighed as I washed my hair and ignored the ache between my legs. Sure I was sexually frustrated, but I hadn't gotten to the point when settling things myself was the last option available to me. That, was a last resort.

I got out of the shower and proceeded to indulge in my nightly moisturizing routine before I gave my hair a quick blast and checked my cell. Two missed calls from Amelia; one from voicemail from Tara reminding me I was twenty-nine in a matter of days, while she cackled in the background; as well as a text from Sam.

Sam. Wasn't he the one I should have been thinking about, whilst not letting other men lick me? God, I was an idiot at times.

**EPOV:**

"Pam this is ridiculous! She's one, she doesn't need to be measured for freakin' designer wear! She crawls everywhere. Do you want her doing that in … what is this?"

"Dolce." she shrugged.

"Pam."

"Eric, how about this? How about you leave Jessica with me and maybe your Amex if you want—but that I won't push—and you just go… find a guy store to kill some time in. We'll find you when we're done. Hmmkay?" She flicked her hand at me, shooing me away.

"But she…"

"She's fine! She likes me, don't you Jessica?"

"_Hi?"_

She'd been saying it all morning. And somehow it was still cute as hell to me.

"Okay... fine. Jessica, be a good girl for Auntie Pam, and please for the love of GOD cry before she spends too much, okay?" She just looked at me. I figured soon enough she'd be able to understand me so I just shrugged it off and handed her over to Pam. "Meet me at Starbucks in an hour."

"One hour?"

"_Pam…"_

"Fine, one hour."

I expected her in two. I made my way through various sections of menswear in different stores. I managed to get a few new shirts—not picked out by Pam, some new jeans and socks. For some reason, I was always losing my socks.

I knew July 1st was less than a week away, and I knew that was Sookie's birthday. I noticed when we were signing the forms to take Jessica that Sookie's birthday was two months after hers, so it stuck in my mind. I didn't know if we were the type of 'friends' that did birthday things? Or did she maybe hate her birthdays? I had no idea. But I knew Pam loved birthdays, even ones that had nothing to do with her—she viewed it as an excuse to shop. That, and she said that every woman loves a good gift, no matter who she is or what she says.

So, maybe I'd get her something?

But what says co-parent-girl-I-share-a-house-with- and-raise-a-baby-with-and-maybe-secretly-want-really-badly? You know, without being obvious?

I'd wandered in and out of stores, nothing catching my eye. Then in one rather upscale store a little something pulled me towards it. Somehow it was just her—elegant, but with a strong design and a little hint of the blue in her eyes. The sales girl was flirty of course, but she was also sighing saying that she wished her boyfriend was as thoughtful. I hated to burst her bubble and tell her that I wasn't Sookie's boyfriend but her housemate who happened to have a love-hate relationship with the girl, when really I had a secret crush on her. Pam had been right and I kind of hated that she knew me so well. Sookie had been the one that got away, in so many ways, but I'd spent a good two years forgetting about her only to have her thrust into my life in the most permanent of ways.

Passing the other stores, I decided that I'd un-pussy myself as much as possible instead of moping around jewelery stores like a wimp. I walked into the sports store, found some new weights to add to my collection, and then I saw it. On sale and everything—a giant trampoline and net. It looked awesome, and honestly what backyard was complete without one? Jessica would love it! Sookie would… look awesome bouncing on it… not that I cared what she thought. And I, I wanted it. So, weights and possible baby sickness machine was paid for and on it's way home as I found Pam and Jessica. Jess looked a little tired, and all things considered, so was I.

"How'd it go?" I asked.

"Oh, great. We got new shoes for Auntie Pam, new lingerie for Auntie Pam, new stockings…"

"And the baby?"

"Oh. So many cute dresses, some little baby jeans and some shirts too! Oh and look at this!"

I zoned out after she produced the third bag full of things. I'd asked if we could skip the coffee and go home. Pam reluctantly agreed, though she dropped us off without a complaint.

"Hey, Eric?" She said pulling into the driveway.

"Hmm?"

"What did you buy in Tiffany?" She said, her eyes sparkling.

"_What?"_

"That little blue bag you're hiding inside the bigger manly bags you have? Please, I have like a taste-dar and I could smell it… So, who is she?"

I tried to hide the fact that I was blushing under my sunglasses. Seriously, what was I twelve? I just shrugged her off.

"No one you know, Pammy." I kissed her on the cheek and told her I'd see her at work. I was treated to her nine millionth eye-roll before she backed out of the driveway.

"Okay sweetness, I think we both need a nap, don't you?"

By the time Jessica and I woke up from our rather comfy nap in the den, there was a clattering at the back door, like someone was knocking on the glass with a key.

Maxine and her boy. She was in a total tizzy and in need of a babysitter. I thought, sure, why not? He seemed like a sane enough kid. She was sweet about it and promised to be an hour, tops.

Jessica didn't make strange with the kid so that helped. The delivery men from the sports store had arrived and set up the trampoline, per my request. Sure, I had to pay them extra for same-day deliver, never mind the set up… but, usually when I wanted something, I got it. Which is what made not getting my way the few and far times between it happened, so annoying. I ordered a pizza and some dips for lunch; it kept the kids quiet and was limited on mess since everything was disposable.

Hoyt was an interesting little man. He wasn't that much older than Jessica, maybe five months at most, but the difference in their development was obvious. He was strong on his feet, talking a lot more. He knew his mom was shopping for 'goodies' and that I was E-wic and I lived here with Sookie and that Jess was our baby now. Our baby, and not Hadley and Alcide's baby.

Shit, the kid didn't know how hard that was to hear.

We'd spent a good hour on the trampoline. Jessica was not at all impressed at first, but like most kids, once she saw Hoyt do it she wanted to do it too. It dawned on me that one-upping was a way of life. Whatever you can I do, I can do better. I felt a little guilty that the one-year olds had a better sense of companionship than I did at almost mid-thirties.

When Sookie stuck her head out the back door and then joined us in the yard, she was working that whole office fashion vibe. Her ass, in a pencil skirt as she called it, was almost too much. I'd offered to bounce her, thoroughly enjoying the blush that ran down her neck. She ignored me of course, but the next time I saw her it was hard to ignore her. She was baking. Like, actually baking, and not just buying things from a store. That had never happened growing up. My mom wasn't big on domestic goddess impersonations.

I don't know if it was the smell of vanilla, the idea that she was trying to teach me something, or the fact that it all looked so appealing but when I covered her in the cake mix, the look on her face egged me on even more.

She was pissed—but not so pissed that she wouldn't fight back—and honestly, Stackhouse seemed like she gave as good as she got. Before I knew it, I was having trouble holding in my laughter. She was covered, her clothes where covered—as were mine—yet, somehow I forgot all about that when I accidentally backed her up against the sink. I'd done it to gain leverage to get the damn bowl away from her. But once I did, and she ran that finger of hers up my shirt and over my neck only to lick it—rather suggestively off her finger might I add—all rational thought went out the window. When I told her I wanted a taste, I wasn't necessarily talking about the cake. She held up the side of her hand, but that's not what I wanted. What I wanted, and was inches away from actually doing, was to kiss her senseless, then maybe fuck her over the kitchen table… But, what I did was possibly weirder. I licked her neck. From collarbone to the tip of her earlobe, I licked the mix off her skin! She was holding her breath, and I noticed the tiny shudder that ran through her. Before I could do any damn thing about either of those things, Maxine showed up to cockblock.

Awkward—that's what I'd call the air when she left. Totally awkward. Neither of us were going to talk about it; I was going to pretend that I wasn't half hard standing in the kitchen; and I was going to clean up our mess. Jessica was just as confused looking as I felt. But I'd be a man and just ignore it until it went away. Best option for all right now I thought. Of course, it wouldn't be a buried issue forever… not even a whole week. Because in less than a week, everything would be different, and I don't just mean Sookie being a year older.

**A/N: So, a little fun was needed right? What did we think of their little ahem... 'mess' in the kitchen? Next chapter is Sookie's birthday, just who'll be the one giving her, her birthday kiss? ;) **  
**Reviews are loved, so keep up the awesome work guys! :D **


	14. Chapter 14

**SPOV:**

For almost a week Eric and I danced around our issues. We went to work, came home, did all our normal things and we ate dinner. But no, we avoided the issue of, 'Hey remember when you licked my neck? What was that about?'

Nope, not a peep.

There were various peeps though. Sam and I had another date. This time we just did a movie and a light dinner followed by some light petting in his car. When I wasn't worried that Eric was going to walk in, or the baby would be needing me, I was able to relax with Sam. While my feelings for him weren't red hot, they were developing slowly, I guess. I liked him. I knew he liked me and for now, that was more than enough.

When he walked me to my door the night before my birthday things got kind of awkward.

"I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not, but I got you something for your birthday tomorrow."

"How did you-"

"I noticed it on your file info for Jessica. Is that weird?"

"A little, but it's not so weird that I'd be worried." I smiled. "Sam, you didn't have to -"

"I know, but it's just a little thing." He produced a box.

Inside said box was this …thing.

"It's …"

"It's a bee. You know, like a honey bee."

"Oh, that's … sweet?"

"Well, I liked it because it made me think of you and how you could maybe …be my honey."

I cringed so hard I think I broke something internally.

"Oh, Sam, that's so sweet."

He smiled. I smiled and as he went in to kiss me good night the front door opened.

"Hi neighbour." Came Eric's loud and obnoxious voice.

"Eric, something wrong?"

"No, no." He said casually "I just heard muttering at the front door. I thought maybe you were drunk again."

AGAIN? It was one time!

"Eric, that was one time."

"Yes, and it could have been two. Whatever, you're not drunk just … awkward, so I'll leave you two kids to it." He grinned, enjoying this far too much. "Sam." he nodded before he slammed the front door.

"Ignore him, he's just… being Eric."

"I always do." He smiled before kissing me sweetly once. "I'm sorry I can't be around for your birthday, but you've got plans right?"

"Yep, me and my girls. It's a tradition. Men or no, our birthdays belong to the girls. So really I'd just have been turning you down." I grinned.

"Well, I'm glad. And the present it's…."

Something I'd never wear.

"So sweet. I'm not good with accepting gifts, I never have been. They make me feel all jittery and weirdly emotional. That's weird right?"

"No, that's normal for some people. It shows you appreciate what you get. It's a good thing. Some people are just spoiled."

That was true- Sophie-Ann for instance.

"Have a good night, okay? And take a few shots for me. Being on-call sucks."

"I will. Text me if you need to. I mean, I can't promise I'll make sense, but…"

"G'night Sookie."

"Night Sam."

I walked in to find Eric sprawled out on the couch in nothing but his navy basketball shorts a bowl of popcorn in his lap.

"Hey."

"Hey. You know you could try being nicer to him." I said taking off my shoes, because damn did my feet hurt.

"I could. But I won't." He said with a smile. "I'm about to watch a movie, you wanna?"

"What is it?" I asked, to which he replied with two of my Gran's favourite old movies. The thought of just sitting down, watching movies I knew like the back of my hand seemed oddly comforting. "Sure."

**EPOV:**

I'd heard this rattling at the front door. I mean, I knew it was them. I'd seen the lights of his beamer in the driveway as they pulled up. They'd spent ages in the damn car though. What they were doing, I did not want to think about.

I knew I'd successfully annoyed her when she came through the door with the scowl attached. I hadn't assumed she'd be back. I mean, this was their third date in as many days. I was sure Sammy boy would have attempted to seal the deal with this one. Guess not.

I was both annoyed and relieved at that development.

Well that, or they'd fucked in the car?

Ew, God, the visuals.

Since I was slowly allowing myself to descend into Loser Town, I had movies- old movies- I knew by heart. I wanted something comforting. Of course now that she was here, I just felt like the biggest loser on the planet having an old Hollywood movie night- alone. But she didn't seem to judge. In fact, she seemed pleased.

"Uh, well, we have a choice of two. We can watch Casablanca, or we could have 'An Affair to Remember'?" I'd said it before I'd caught on to the double meaning of the end of my sentence.

Thankfully she just giggled at me as she pulled her feet up under herself.

"Let's have an affair to remember, then." She winked at me, still giggling.

We sat a decent enough distance apart on the couch, but when Sookie pulled down the fleece throw and threw it over both of our legs, I felt the need to move a little closer. I mean it was only so the blanket wouldn't stretch out, of course.

"You know, my granddad could quote these old movies."

"Really?" She beamed. "What's his name?"

"My granddad? Niall. He's my mom's dad."

"And he liked old movies?"

"Yeah, the 'classics.' It's all I knew as a kid. I can't argue with him though; American movies helped me with my English."

"Oh, that's cute."

"Cute?" I laughed. "Oh, he'd love you. He's an old charmer."

"Where is he now?"

"He moved over with us when we came from Sweden, but he moved to California with my mom when I was seventeen, I didn't want to go, so … I didn't."

"Why not? Hollywood not your thing?" She teased.

"Not exactly."

Her brow was raised. I knew she'd want to know more. I knew she'd been wanting to know about my family for a while. It's not like there was this big, huge family secret or anything, it just wasn't everyone that I let into my whole life, you know?

I rolled my eyes at myself and continued, "The reason why we moved here was because of my Mom. She met this … doctor."

She nodded smiling, as if she'd finally pieced a puzzle.

"A doctor huh?"

"Yeah, after my dad died…"

"I'm sorry." She touched my hand and the last thing I wanted was her sympathy.

"It's fine."

"It's not. Losing someone like that it's hard and you were just a little kid."

"Anyway, after that she was a mess. She met this American doctor through some of her friends and next thing I know, we're here. Only not here: Boston, New York, then here. They got married and stuff but he never warmed to me, and I never made the effort to make him."

"That sucks."

I shrugged. "It is what it is."

"And your mom?"

"They're still together. Of course now she's got more Botox than Cher, but yeah. They're happy."

"Do you ever see her?"

"She visits a few times a year; brings Niall. Nothing too over the top."

"Does she know about Jessica?"

"I… not exactly."

"Eric!"

"What? Look, okay, it's not like she'd care. Believe me, she was more than happy to get rid of me when they moved. Why would she care if there was kid now?"

"People change."

"Trust me, she doesn't."

"Don't you think Niall would want to know? I mean, she's sort of his great granddaughter now."

"No."

"N-"

Before she could probe me any more, I told her that we should actually watch the movie and we did. Shockingly, she didn't push for any more answers and for that, I was thankful.

By the time the two doomed lovers were in the same room once more, it was just after 1am and Sookie was passed out on the couch. I was just barely awake and the idea of climbing the stairs seemed like a chore. Why was I doing this again? Pining and allowing myself to wallow in my own self pity, when it would have been so easy to find a girl, take her out, get us bother liquored up and get laid.

But no, I chose this.

As I looked at Sookie's sleeping self laying on the couch all curled up into a little ball, I realised it wasn't those girls I wanted.

It was this girl.

But I couldn't make the move because she wasn't one of the girls I was used to. We had a house, a kid to consider, and there was the fear. I'd never had to fear fucking up before. In fact, it was to be expected. But with her, there was that definite possibility and it made me stall. It made me not want to rush in to screw it up. My body hated me for it.

"Sookie?"

"Hmmm."

"You should go up to bed. You'll be hurting in the morning."

"Mmm, comfy." she pushed herself further onto my shoulder.

She looked so peaceful, and I did hate to wake her. So, that's how she and I first slept together. Not exactly how I'd imagined it but nothing's perfect, right? Needless to say, it wasn't my usual way of getting a girl to sleep with me, but there was a first time for everything. So I simply cuddled up next to her, made sure the blanket covered more of her than me and did my best to drift off to sleep.

**SPOV:**

I was wakened by the smell of coffee. Looking around, I realised I wasn't in my room but in the living room under two of the fleece blankets we used when Jessica took her naps on the couch.

Right, an affair to remember. I took a quick peek at my watch; it was just after eight.

The idea of working was just not appealing to me at all. Normally, I loved getting to grips with everything and having fun with all the staff. I actually enjoyed the customers too, but lately everything had become a chore- a monstrous chore- thanks to Sophie.

"Mornin." I said to the back of Eric, who was up awake and cooking.

"Oh, hey, sleep okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Did we fall asleep… together?"

"Must have." He shrugged "My back hurts like a bitch today."

Yeah, my neck was feeling it and I was the right size for the couch. Lord knows how he felt.

I inhaled my coffee as Eric set food in front of me.

"Pancakes?"

"I'm at home a lot during the day. The Food Network is kind of addictive."

"Thank you. They look awesome, by the way."

And they tasted even better.

I got the baby up, washed and dressed. She and I were off to a good start. There was no whining and she let me dress her without wriggling. Maybe this birthday would shape up better than the last. It had involved Bill and a horrible attempt at a dinner before drinks with the girls- which he disapproved of, of course. It had ended in a disaster of an argument about me choosing my friends over him. His possessiveness was a little too smothering, even then.

"Okay baby, you be good."

"I'm working tonight you know that right?"

"Yeah I do. Maxine agreed to take her tonight. I have plans with the girls."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Just a thing." I didn't know if we were doing a big deal over birthdays or not, and I didn't really want to draw attention to mine.

"A thing. Well, that's cool. Girls night?"

"Yeah, sort of, I think...anyway. Just a dinner and drinks. I'll probably be home before you are. I'm such a lightweight."

"Well, have a good time whatever you all get up to." He smiled.

I knew he'd be working from early evening till very late, or early, however you looked at it. Saturday nights where his busiest night and Pam demanded his presence. I could see why. He oozed charm by the bucketful when he felt like it, and if it was making him money by getting girls drunk while he flirted, it was a win win for him.

There was a rapping at my office door around three thirty. I thought for sure it was just another one of the new wait staff with yet another problem. But no, it was a messenger boy, box in hand.

"Yes?"

"Sookie Stackhouse?"

"Yes."

"Delivery." The guy said handing me over the rather large box. A box that smelled amazing. There was a note attached to the top.

"Uh, thank you?"

He smiled.

"Enjoy, ma'am."

I tore open the envelope before I opened the box.

"I thought you could use something a little Nordic inside you on your special day.

Happy Birthday, Sookie.

E.

I blushed at his double-entendre as I opened the box to see blue, white and yellow cupcakes spelling out 'Happy Birthday,' and a few with a tiny Swedish flags sticking out.

Nordic indeed.

Needless to say, I dove into one right there and then, and it was beyond delicious. One was my limit, however, since I did have a body-conscious dress I was aiming to fit into in a matter of hours.

I dialed his cell phone and he picked up on the second ring.

"Hello, birthday girl."

"You didn't tell me you knew."

"Eh, I wanted to surprise you. They did come, right?"

"They did, and might I just say, your little note was mighty suggestive for three in the afternoon." I laughed.

"Well, it's a true statement."

I scoffed.

"I mean the little edible flags, of course."

"Oh, of course." I smiled "Thank you. It was unexpectedly sweet."

"Try not to sound too shocked. I am, after all, awesome." He laughed.

"Fine, Mr. Awesome, how's Jess?"

"She's currently working her way though some Jack Daniels. She's hardcore."

"Eric."

"She's napping. Maxine is picking her up in an hour or so."

Oh, I realised I wouldn't see her till the next day. It made my heart ache a little.

"Okay, at the risk of sounding overly 'motherly' or whatever, just … give her a kiss from me. And don't forget the rabbit."

"I won't."

"Okay. Cool. I guess I'll see you later then, or something?"

"Or something." I could almost hear the smirk. "Happy birthday, again."

I blushed, even though I was alone. "And thank you, again."

Before I finished my shift I walked into the kitchen to say goodbye. Lafayette spotted the box.

"Cupcake?" I offered.

"Swedish cupcakes? What the hell?"

"Eric's idea of a joke." I said offhandedly as Lafayette snatched the note on top.

"LAF!" I tried to snatch it back, but he was a good foot taller. It was no use.

"Sookie… Sookie, have you been holding out on me, darling?"

"No."

"So your baby daddy is just sending you dirty cupcakes on yo' birthday for no reason?"

"It was a joke."

"You sure?"

"Yes, now shush. Are you meeting up with us tonight or not?"

"Don't I always? You want me to come over before and make you a princess?"

I batted my lashes at him. "Don't I always?"

I kissed him on the cheek, promising to see him holding booze in a few hours. I grabbed my dirty cupcakes and headed home, determined to make this a birthday to remember.

**EPOV:**

"Da-ric" She threw her monkey at me again. Was that her monkeys name? I had no idea.

"What was that?" I asked her again. It was the second time she'd said it, but I couldn't make out if it was an attempt at 'dadda' or 'Eric', maybe it was both? Was I her dadda now? Was that okay?

I'd just finished calling the bakery to confirm they had, in fact, delivered the package. It was a rule of thumb, in my book, that everyone should have cake on their birthday. Even tiny cupcakes would do, and since neither she or I got to taste her baking skills the other night, I felt it was only right. I did owe her, after all.

When I got her call it made me ridiculously happy that I could almost see the blush in her cheeks at my double meaning in the little note I'd attached to her cakes. I really, really enjoyed flirting with Sookie. Almost as much as I enjoyed arguing with her. I loved watching her get all flustered, blushing and trying to sarcastic-speak her way out of every little thing.

Maxine and Hoyt came for Jessica a little after four. She seemed to like Maxine, although she did, of course, fuss since she seemed to still like me more. I was kind of glad she did, to be honest. With all the seemingly unrequited feelings flying around this place it was nice to know at least one woman in the house wanted me there for her.

It left me just enough time to make something to eat, shower and get ready for my shift. We were a barmaid down and I was sure the new order of beer had arrived, which meant I'd be needed in the cellar loading and storing for most of the evening.

Saturday nights were our busiest night, thanks to Pam and her highjinx ideas. We had drink promotions, free entry for the ladies before eleven, a live band most weekends and private parties booked in the VIP area every weekend. It wasn't that I doubted Pam's genius, it was just sometimes her cockiness drained me. Of course, she'd say she learned at the feet of her Master, but I didn't think I was that bad.

Was I ?

By the time I'd seen to the invoices, signed off on the pay cheques for the staff, signed off on the food order for the next month, carried in six barrels of beer from the alleyway down to the basement and helped Pam choose a new colour for the remodel of the ladies room… I was beat. But my night was only really beginning since we didn't get busy until after eleven anyway. By midnight, the bar was packed. We were overrun with orders and I was breaking my back trying to keep up with them and flirting my way through the females … and a few male customers.

It was kind of fun and Pam assured me that a 'personal touch' never steered me wrong. Just as long as the personal touching was kept to minimum. I made it a rule never to date, screw around with or fuck my customers. My business and more to the point- my business reputation- was more important to me than that.

"So what does a birthday girl get around here?" came the flirty question from my left.

"Sookie!" I said and she smiled. She was standing there off to the side of the bar, flanked by Amelia and Tara, both dressed to the nines. She ,on the other hand, was dressed to the twenty nines. She was in her sex dress and she definitely noticed that I noticed. Her makeup was just as sexy. Dark eyes, glossed, red tinted lips and her hair was in big loose curls swept around her shoulder. Was it just me or were anyone elses pants tight?

"Hi. What can get you ladies?"

"Something a little Nordic would be nice." Amelia flirted and Tara just laughed. Sookie still didn't take her eyes off me.

"Where are you all sitting?"

"Third table by the windows. Your baby mamma likes the view." Tara pointed.

The view was pretty great. We were high up so the entire city could be seen from the windows in the front.

"How about I bring you over some champagne on the house?"

"And why would you do that?" Sookie asked, still smiling. I assumed she had a few drinks in her already and I didn't mind one bit.

"Well, it's not every day my co-parent/baby-mamma has a birthday is it?" I raised a brow at Tara's term, which cracked her up.

"White boy, please don't ever say that again. Please?"

I nodded.

"Thanks."

"Oooh, Eric!" Amelia piped up before they turned to leave. "Yeah, could we maybe have three daiquiris and a Cosmo for Lafayette too? Pretty please."

Sookie slapped her arm. "Eric, never mind her. We so didn't come here for free drinks."

"No, we came because I made them. She wanted to- OW! Sookie, stop pinching me!" Amelia blabbered.

"It's more than fine. I'll have someone bring them right over." I nodded to a blushing Sookie.

I watched them, and her ass in that dress, walk back to their table.

_Damn._

"Who are you looking at?" Pam appeared by my side. Her black leather dress whoring out her boobs like, wow.

"Sookie's here."

"Ohhh. Interesting."

"What? No, it's her birthday, they're… she's having drinks with her friends."

"Right, and she didn't come to see you."

"She said she's been meaning to check out the bar." I shrugged her off, taking a few more orders before I made up the round of cocktails myself. I found the champagne I'd been looking for and four flutes and loaded them on the tray before Thalia appeared by my side.

"Want me to take these, boss?"

Normally, yes.

"No I got it. Can you go check on the order of wings and dip table six ordered? Thanks."

"Eric Northman, I swears boy, you get mo' fine each time I see you." Lafayette was the first to spot me coming to the table. The girls 'ooh'd' over giant cocktails placed in front of them, as I unloaded the tray onto the table.

"Thank you." Sookie said with a smile, sipping her pink drink.

"So, Eric, this place is booming. I came here a few times last year. You guys have amazing bands on Friday." Tara added and we made small talk about her favourites. Amelia kicked in about it being busy too, and how she'd have this place orders up in no time if she worked here. Sookie was just shaking her head.

"Can you join us for a drink?" She asked.

"No, I wish I could but we're swamped at the bar tonight. We're a waitress short. One of the girls had to quit last week because she's moving to New York with her loser boyfriend." I rolled my eyes, her romantic notions had left me short.

Amelia was practically bouncing in her chair and Sookie just laughed. I remembered then about Sookie telling me Sophie fired Amelia the previous week.

"Hey, Amelia, you have bar experience right?" I looked between her and Sookie. Sookie clearly knew what I was up to.

"Yes, lots actually, and waitressing, hostessing... is hostessing a word?" She turned to Sookie.

"If you want it to be, sweetie." she replied in a tone I'd only heard her use on Jessica.

"Do you want a job?" I asked.

"AAAAAAHHHHH! Oh my, God, Eric, I _love_ you! No, really, I love you right now! I was so worried about rent this month, but yoou! You giant, Swedish, sexy man you." She stood up and wrapped her arms around me, doing a happy dance as she did so. All I could do was laugh, just like the rest of them.

"Okay Ames, let the man go." Lafayette spoke.

"Sookie, he's so awesome. You're so awesome. I love you."

"Okay, well, that enthusiasm will be appreciated. I promise." I laughed again.

She was a hoot.

"Sook, he's awesome. You have to be, like, super nice to him from now on!"

"Come by on Monday and we'll show you around. I've got to get back to work, but enjoy." I said to the table and got thank you's from everyone- a very loud one from Amelia.

A little over an hour later I saw that Amelia had met Pam. Sookie was obviously introducing them before she seemed to excuse herself from the pow wow.

I slid out of the other side of the bar, cutting her off on the corner towards the ladies room.

"Oh! Hey!"

"Hey yourself. Having a good birthday?"

"Yes! Thank you for the champagne, it was very sweet. Your bar is beautiful. I can't believe I haven't been here before now."

"Well, you're here now right?"

"Right."

"Amelia has met Pam. I think they're drooling over some designer shoe, or paint, or something. I lost track."

"Yeah, I'm letting Pam redecorate a few things here. Why, I have no damn idea."

She nodded smiling.

"Hey, could I … would you come into my office for a second? I have something I want to give you, but I don't want to … not out here."

She raised her brow at me, hand on hip.

"That's sounds vaguely ominous, Eric."

"It's not, I promise."

We walked into my office and I noticed her looking around at all the photos on the walls and the newspaper clippings about the bar over the years.

"How come your apartment was so bare but in here it's like Memory Lane?" She asked, taking note of some of the goofier photos on the wall. I saw her zone in on a few with Alcide and Hadley.

"This place was more my home than the apartment. Hell, that couch turns into the most comfortable sofa bed ever."

"So you lived here."

"Basically."

I got the small blue bag out of my desk drawer and walked over to her with it.

"This is so stupid, but I… I got you a birthday present."

Her eyes widened.

"The cupcakes and champagne wasn't my present?"

I'd gone over kill. Oh God, she was going to think I was a weirdo.

"Um. No? It's just this."

"Tiffany's? Are you kidding me?"

She opened the bag and the tiny box quickly.

"Oh my Goodness."

"It's lame, you hate it." I went to snatch it from her.

"Oh, hell no you don't." She turned to stop me. "Eric, it's so, so beautiful. I… no one's ever gotten me something like before. It must have been SO expensive. I can't let you do this. It's far too much." Still her words didn't mean much because she was sliding it out of the box to admire it, her eyes wide and her mouth smiling.

"Can you?" She handed me the long necklace before she turned around. I obliged her, certainly. I'd wanted to see it on her since the second I bought it. I stepped closer to her, catching a whiff of her perfume in the process. Mix that with the smell of her shampoo, and I was on sensory Sookie overload. Looping in the chain so it sat on her neck, she turned to me with a smile even bigger than the one before.

"I love it so much. It's stunning. But now you have to tell me when your birthday is so I can spoil you for a change."

"No, no need."

"Every need, thank you." She leaned in slowly to kiss me on the cheek and as she moved out again, my brain shut down. It's the only explanation I had. It just shut right down because instead of being gracious I slid both of my hands in her hair, holding her in place before I swiftly kissed her, backing us both up against the office door.

**SPOV:**

"Sookie, drink it!"

"Ames…"

"Nope, I won't hear it. It's your birthday, the kid has a sitter, Eric's gone to work. You drink that champagne, girl, and you drink it now!"

So I did, and it was yummy.

"Rockin' dress Stackhouse!" Tara said from the doorway.

"Thanks! I've had it for ages but just haven't had the excuse to wear it."

"It's a pity Sam isn't around tonight. He's missing you in this." Amelia commented.

"How are things with him?" Tara asked, taking her glass from the top of the island.

"Good, I think. We're taking it slow."

"How slow?" Tara continued.

"Slow." I widened my eyes so she'd get the point.

"And Eric?"

"What about Eric?"

"Sookie, the man is … fine. That, and he had you aflutter and glowy all day, and all he did was send you some cupcakes. By the way, you never told me what the deal was with that."

"It was just this stupid joke. We were fooling around the other day with some cake mix and things got a little out of hand is all. I guess he was… I don't know, thinking about that, or whatever."

"What you mean out of hand?" Lafayette asked, appearing with my hot rollers.

"N-nothing. Just …it's not a big deal. We just had a mini food fight."

"And?"

"And that's it?" Tara pressed.

"Lying! Look at you, you're blushing." Laf chimed in.

"Hesortoflickedmixoffmyneck. So the red shoes or the black?"

"He LICKED YOU?" Tara's eyes bugged.

"It was just fooling around." I protested.

"Sure, I mean I know when I bake I like to just lick it off my housemate. Perfectly acceptable." Lafayette glared at me, not believing a word.

"Are we getting me hot, or not? Red shoes or black?"

He tapped the black ones before starting on my hair.

"Amelia!" Tara called out, "I think we need more booze."

We made it to dinner on time. Lafayette surprised me with a spa day for my birthday gift. It was amazing and I knew he'd pulled some strings, but it was definitely appreciated. I'd enjoy the relaxation of it all. Amelia decided she was going adopt a dolphin for the year for me. His name was Angus. It was kind of awesome. Tara being Tara, she got me a box full of toys. And when I say 'toys' I don't just mean the kind for Jessica.

By the time dinner was over we were all more than three sheets to the wind. We ended up in a dive bar for an hour before Amelia had the bright idea of 'visiting Eric.' I, of course, didn't want to. He was a busy guy. He didn't need us loitering around his bar, but her mind was made up. She informed me in her best drunken, motherly voice that it was a 'damn shame' I'd lived with Eric for weeks now and never seen his place of business. She'd been there before and said nothing but good things. I had to admit, I was curious.

Piling into a cab, Lafayette demanded to know more about the 'licking incident,' and I ignored him. Then they all told me that I needed to get licked, and often. I'm pretty sure the cab driver thought we were all perverts.

Seeing his bar, it was truly beautiful. It was up on the top floor of one of the nicest buildings in Louisiana and it had the best views I could remember seeing of the city. There was stain glass just about everywhere. The views and amazing mood lighting made the place look like a million dollars.

It was packed to the brim with people but we finally found an empty table, and then we found him. In watching him work behind the bar I saw he was confident, fast, strong and sexy as hell. I was pretty sure my drunk was wearing off but I'd still allow myself to look. His dark wash jeans clung just right and his black button up was unbuttoned just enough to make me want to lick his clavicle.

What was it with us and licking?

Several free drinks and one snapped heel later, I left Amelia pouting over her broken shoe while talking up a storm with Pam. I'd introduced them and it seemed like they knew each other for years, the way they connected. It was nice. Amelia needed more friends outside of our little group. It was then that I ran into Eric, and I mean ran into as I rounded the corner. I didn't know if it was the setting, the fact that every woman- single or not- was looking at him like he was lunch on a diet day, or the fact that he was looking at me like he really was trying to see if I could wear underwear under a dress this tight….whatever it was, I followed him into his office without much cause for concern.

The necklace was stunning. I'd never seen, much less been given, something so beautiful before. I often salivated over the Tiffany window display, but knowing their prices it was a luxury I seldom indulged. But to have something so beautiful and I hadn't even picked it out was wonderful. If I had the funds to buy it myself, Eric's present was exactly what I would have picked.

I had intended to kiss him on the cheek- just the cheek- as a thank you gesture since my words felt so empty inside my mouth, but things slowed to a halt as I did so. I noticed his sharp intake of breath as I got closer to him and the fact that his eyes seemed to almost darken in colour. So when he kissed me, I had no fight in me to really protest.

I had wanted to kiss him- I knew that much- and not just a sweet thank you kiss either. I'd more than once thought of what it might be like, particularly over the previous week. Just how good a kisser was he, anyway? And when his lips touched mine, a million things ran through my head. I needed to stop. So me being me, I did what I do best- I pulled away.

He wasn't having any of that bullshit, though. He simply grabbed my face, threading his fingers in my hair and backed us up against his office door, forcing the kiss deeper than before.

I gave in without much of a fight, mainly because it felt like I couldn't fight. I felt too much like goo to fight back. Feeling him push up against me felt heavenly. His hands were still threaded in my hair and gripping my scalp as he tilted my head while his mouth moved on mine. He sucked my lips one by one into his mouth. First the top, then the bottom, gently and quickly tasting me and allowing me to taste him. Then I felt his tongue and I'm ashamed to say I instantly allowed him in. I might have let a moan or two escape in the process.

His height over me was intoxicating. I felt his warm breath on my face as he broke us apart to do nothing but smirk at me. It was then that I attempted to put up a fight. I shouldn't have been kissing him. I shouldn't have been kissing anyone. But instead of listening to me, he held my hips in place, his fingers running along the fabric of my dress as he held me against the door. I could have walked out of his grasp, quite easily, but I didn't. Instead I let him kiss me again, and this time I felt my knees go a little weak as he ground himself into me.

"Eric…we have to-"

"Shh. Just shut up and enjoy this okay?"

"But-"

I gave up and wrapped my arms around his neck, allowing him to lift me up against the door so our heights were more evenly matched. Good God it was like I could get pregnant from just kissing him, it was that good.

He went for my neck and I definitely let a moan loose, as he just spoke a breathy 'Oh, Jesus' into my neck. I could feel him. He was hard- even through his jeans that much was obvious- and I swore if he had touched me where I needed it most right then, it wouldn't have taken much to bring me over the edge.

I heard my cell phone buzzing inside my purse. That snapped me out of it. I pushed him back and he went willingly. Both of us standing there a mess, our breathing out of control.

"I didn't mean to do that." He confessed, his face looking as flushed as mine felt.

"Me either. I don't … I don't' know what came over me. I …"

I ignored the bulge in his pants, and the fact that his lips were so swollen and red I just wanted to kiss him all over again. Instead, before I time to even think, Pam walked in.

"Well, well, well. This place stinks like sex." She smiled at me, then looked at Eric.

"Sookie, your friends are getting worried. They think you're trapped in the ladies room or something. Of course you're just…here." she raised her perfectly waxed brow at me.

"We were just talking…" I attempted to bullshit.

"Right, sweetie, you might want to save that for someone who _doesn't _see your lipstick smeared all over your face."

My hand went to my mouth automatically. Shit.

"Is that Tiffany's?" She eyed my necklace.

"Yeah, it is."

Then it was her turn to glare at Eric. He just pretended to shuffle some papers on his desk.

"Well, isn't that interesting?" She looked me up and down again. "I'll give you two a minute. Then the cavalry might come looking for you."

I think he and I would be needing more than a minute to figure this mess out, don't you?

**A/N: *Waits nervously* Hi, sooo what did we think?  
P.s Much big thankies to the writing machiiiine that is Makesmyheadspin for being a swift beta on this one :D x  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**EPOV:**

I kissed her, and I'll admit not much thought went into it in the moment. All I knew was she smelled amazing, and I really wanted to know what she tasted like.

As it goes, she tasted like strawberries from her Daiquiris and vanilla from what I assumed was her lip-gloss. Between that and her heat, I was addicted right on the spot. She fought me, but it wouldn't be like Sookie if she didn't protest. If she really wanted me to let her go, she would have made it more than clear. Instead, she pushed once before her arms wrapped around my neck all on their own. She pulled me in for a deeper kiss, allowing me to push myself completely up against her. Her body was encased so tightly in that dress that it was like skin-on-skin contact when my hands landed on her hips. She moaned as our kiss got even more intense—I'd never gotten so hard from just a kiss before—having told her to kindly shut up, I ground into her a little harder up against the office door. The moan I received in return shot through me like a bolt of lightning.

But then it was over far too soon, and we were both standing there breathless and swollen—and I don't just mean her lips.

Pam walking into my office—without knocking as fucking usual—pissed me off. For one, it meant that diving in for that second kiss was out of the question, and since it was more than obvious that we'd been making out, I knew I was going to catch serious shit from her about this. All of that and she saw the fucking necklace. Being the designer whore she was, she knew where it was from right away, and since it didn't take a genius to add two and two together I knew she'd be ripping me for that as well.

Sookie was as white as a sheet once Pam left, taking to the mirror on the side way to attempt to fix her makeup, I didn't say anything, and neither did she. She just looked at me through the mirror with a very anxious look on her face.

"It was just a kiss right?" She said quietly. "I mean, we just… We just got caught up in the moment right? It didn't really mean…" There was fear in her eyes, something I wasn't used to seeing. And she was silently panicking, that much was obvious.

I could tell where she was going with this. I'd used the line myself a time or two 'It was just sex, right? It didn't mean anything serious, right?' Far be it from me to disappoint her.

"No, of course not. It was just … a kiss."

"And it didn't mean…?"

"It was just a kiss, Sookie. Like you said, a stupid caught of guard… slightly drunken, kiss." I laughed to hopefully dissolve the tension.

She nodded, letting out a large breath.

"Good. I mean not, _good_, but … you know? Like, it's good." She stammered. Reapplying her lipstick, before her fingers ran down the necklace and she smiled.

"I really do love this. You've got amazing taste."

"Pam's trained me well, I guess?"

"Well, I'll be sure to thank her too. Will I see you at home?"

"Yeah. I'm sure you will."

She nodded with a small smile, grabbing her purse that had fallen behind my office door in our rush to fuck up whatever small progress we'd manage to make.

Fuck.

So, I hid in my office for the remainder of the night. I couldn't face her; I could face her friends; and most of all, I couldn't face Pam. I really wasn't in the mood for a lecture or teasing, since really, Sookie had done enough teasing to last me the rest of the year. So instead of manning up, I sat nursing a serious case of blue balls while downing the last quarter of Jack from the bottle that lived under my desk.

I'd called a cab around two a.m. I figured Sookie would be home and long asleep by the time I got there, or at the very least, I hoped she would be.

Pam of course, couldn't resist getting a jibe in before I took my leave.

"You know, we will talk about this. It's serious, Eric."

"I'm leaving."

"You don't just buy Tiffany for any girl, Eric. I know you. And this? This is scary out of the norm behavior for you."

"Leaving." I waved, grabbing my jacket.

"Aren't you going to ask how my night went while you were hiding away in your office?"

"Fine. How'd tonight go, Pam?"

"Terrific! By the way, Sookie's little friend? Amelia?"

"Yeah?"

"_Gay."_

"She is not."

"Uh, yes, yes she is, and she's a huge fan of my boobs. I'm so glad you've hired her."

"She's not gay! Sookie's always saying how she's dating this guy and that guy…"

She just eyebrowed me.

"Fine, if you say so. I'm off. I'll call you tomorrow."

I got through the front door to be greeted with the sound of Lady Gaga coming from the kitchen as well as the laughter of more than a few people.

I poked my head in just to see, and was met with Lafayette's loud booming voice.

"Northman! Just in time. Come play with us."

He, Amelia, Sookie, and Tara were seated around the kitchen table. Shot glasses in front of them and various bottles of liquor sat in a semi-circle on the table.

"We're playing drinking games!" Amelia piped up. "Boss."

I noticed how guilty and fidgety Sookie looked, ignoring the fact that she looked sexy as hell with her heels off and her feet up on the empty chair next to her.

"No, guys look... He's tired and he probably—"

"I'll play." I said, shaking off my jacket and pulling out the chair next to Sookie—her feet then flopping to the floor.

"Yay! Okay, well we were in the middle of I Never. We're going to move onto Truth or Dare—Spin the Bottle soon though. I love that one." Amelia rambled on.

I wasn't paying much attention to her though, because my focus was solely on Sookie and how she was sitting in her seat—as if she was afraid any part of her would touch any part of me.

"Eric, why don't you go?" Tara added, handing me a empty shot glass that I poured a little Jack Daniels into.

"Okay, I have never… Worn women's underwear."

I didn't take a drink, but of course all the ladies had to, and not so shockingly, so did Lafayette.

"What? They're silky... I like." He justified.

Sookie was up next, though she was decidedly less chipper since I sat down.

"Uh, okay, I have never… had sex with a woman."

I took a shot, and shockingly Lafayette took a shot.

"What? I did it once. That's how I knew y'all were just not for me." Then he pointedly looked at me. "They be missing a thing I really like."

Tara burst out laughing at his fail of a drunken flirt. I just smiled. I'd been feeling pretty buzzed myself, two glasses of jack before I left the office and the shot were mixing together nicely.

After everyone had another turn at I Never, Ames announced that it was boring and Truth or Dare was much more fun.

She started when the empty bottle of wine pointed at Tara—her truth was how many guys she'd slept with. For the record it was a modest three. We ignored the drinking rules and continued to drink anyway as the bottle got spun.

Then Tara spun, and it landed on Sookie. Her truth was at what age she first gave head.

She was fifteen.

_Jesus._

She looked suitably embarrassed when Lafayette ribbed her for being a 'little young' but she soon moved on.

Her spin landed on me, and for the first time since I sat down, she turned to look straight at me.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"How many women have you been with?"

Lafayette laughed and Tara sat forward in her seat a smidge.

"Be more specific."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, do you want slept with as in, spent the entire night with? Sex as in just intercourse, sex as in just oral once? Oral for her? Or just oral for me? Sex as in all of the above? "

I could see her breathing was speeding up; her chest was moving at a rapid pace and she was blushing. But not in that cute sweet way. Her eyes told me she was pissed.

_Good._

"You know, I don't know, Eric. It's your call." She looked annoyed and took a shot.

"Fine. Spent the entire night? Eight. Intercourse only… nine. Just oral, four. All of the above in one night, six; and blow job? Five. Does that answer your question?"

She just quirked an eyebrow at me, clearly pissed that I went into so much detail in front of her friends, the blush in her cheeks getting deeper.

I heard a "damn," from Tara and "ohh," from Amelia. Laf was just smirking.

Sookie took another shot.

I gave the bottle a quick spin and it landed on Sookie.

I grinned an evil grin as I focused in on her.

"Truth or Dare, Sookie?"

"Truth I guess. I'm too tired to dare."

"Same question."

She smirked. "But Eric, you're going to have to be more specific." She sassed before she answered.

"Spent the whole night with, six. Intercourse only, six; oral on me, six; all of the above in one night, six; and blow job?"

I swear I felt my toes curl as she shot daggers at me. I'd imagine angry sex with her would be a treat.

"Six. And for the record, it was the _same _six guys, because when I have sex I like the full service. I don't half ass it like _some _people."

"Ouch." Came Lafayette's reply. I simply smiled at her drunken sarcasm, and her imitation of my voice—which by the way sounded nothing like me. I am not high-pitched.

A few more spins and Sookie excused herself to change. I was sad to see sex dress go away.

"So Eric, your gift to Sookie was beautiful. It looks so expensive."

"Uhh, thanks Tara. It was just a thing I saw that reminded me of her, that's all."

She nodded.

"Mmm, but Tiffany's? That's interesting."

Why was that interesting? Pam said that too.

"It's just a store."

"Oh, men." Amelia cracked up.

"Okay, who's spinning?"

Tara gave the bottle a whirl just as Sookie came into view in her pink checker Disney shorts and a white tank top that with the back lighting from the hallway, showed me that she wasn't wearing a bra.

_Sweet Jesus._

Her scowl killed my would be sex fantasy of ripping her out of those shorts and fucking her over the staircase.

Tara spun, and it landed on me.

"Truth or dare, Eric?"

"Eh, dare."

Wrong choice.

"Okay, I _dare _you to kiss someone in this room for fifteen seconds."

They all, and I mean all looked at Sookie.

She just shifted from one foot to another awkwardly.

"And if I don't agree?"

"You chug the jar of green congealed shit in the fridge_, naked_, on one of the neighbours lawns."

That jar had been in there before Sookie and I moved in. No fucking way.

"Fine."

Tara gave a 'woo' and Lafayette told me to lay one on him, which I ignored. Tonight was a night of first kisses, but I didn't want to kiss a guy. It had never interested me, no matter how glittery his eyelashes where.

"Amelia, would you mind if kissed you, to please your friends?" I asked in the sweetest fake tone I could muster, letting her know that this wasn't that big of a deal.

Amelia was facing me, so her back was to Sookie. She looked back at Sookie as if for some kind of permission or silent girl code and then looked back at me. Sookie stood arms crossed and with a general look of annoyance on her face.

"Uh sure, I guess. I mean, if I were you, I wouldn't be the one I would have chosen but… wait, does that make sense?"

IT kind of did to me. So I made my move, laughing along with her at the ridiculousness of it all.

"Just so you know, I don't make it a habit of making out with my staff… Just … one or two." I admitted, though I'm pretty sure they all took it as a joke.

I kissed her, as ridiculous as it all was, but I didn't close my eyes. In fact, I didn't even look at Amelia. As Tara counted down the fifteen seconds painfully slowly, Amelia and I kissed—properly with tongue and everything—but my eyes and my focus was all on the woman standing behind us.

My eyes never left Sookie's. I saw a number of things in her face that night. Shock, annoyance, pain and frustration, all aimed at me.

But why? She wanted to brush off our amazing, and I mean amazing, kiss as if it was nothing. She wants Sam—the good, solid one. She thinks I'm a whore and an asshole, even though all I've tried to do is be someone that both she and Jessica could rely on and need. I do all that and more. I love being here; I never thought I would, but I do. My feelings for Sookie, while not as obviously cheesy as Sam's, I felt them, and to me they were very real.

But how could I tell her?

I saw that fear in her eyes when we kissed. It was the same fucking fear I felt. If we did this, it would be amazing for a few hours—the sex I could tell would be mind blowing, if only because we'd piss each other off enough to fuck the other through the mattress. But, what then?

If we broke up, if we really ended up hating each other, there was a little girl to consider. And I guess, right now she was more important to us than the other was. So, I'd bury my feelings for now. In fact, I'd be burying them balls deep in the next date I could line up.

If she didn't want me, there were plenty of other women who did.

**SPOV:**

I was panicking. I'd kissed Eric, and not just in-my-dreams kissed him. Like, real kissing with curling toes and quickened hearts.

Shit!

I wasn't meant to kiss him! He was Jessica's "daddy" now, and I was her "mom" and we were her parents. That's it! That's all we were meant to be. We'd become closer, yes that's true. But the attraction, it wasn't one either of us should have been acting on.

If we fucked this up, Child Protective Services would be on our ass for being … I don't know, whores, in charge of a baby.

Pam and her timing couldn't have been better. Had we lasted much longer, she'd have found us—I was sure—in a much more compromising position. Instead, I gave him the out that I was sure a guy in his position was looking for. He was attracted to me, that much was obvious, but this was Eric. Eric liked to date around; I wouldn't say whore around, but he did like to date. A lot. I would have just been a notch. And afterward the awkwardness would tear us apart.

No, it was better if we left it as just a moment of weakness. Thankfully, and as I expected he would, he agreed with me, that it was just a stupid fluke. I was emotional and a little buzzed, and he was … well… I assumed, horny.

That's all it was.

That's all it could ever be.

I made my excuses to him; I had fixed myself as best as I could but when I came face to face with my friends, it was painfully obvious that I was flustered as all hell.

"What did you get up to?"

"Nothing. Nothing. Eric and I were just talking." I answered Tara.

"_Talking?"_

"Yep. Oh and he gave me my birthday present."

"Oh, I'll bet he did. Was it big?" Lafayette teased.

"Excuse you. It was this actually." I lifted up my necklace to show them and they were all suitably impressed with Eric's taste just as I had been.

We'd taken a cab home to my place, and they made no signs of wanting to leave. They broke out the tequila and the drinking games began. I knew I'd be feeling like shit in a few hours for all the drinking I'd done, but I took my shots like a pro. If anything, it would attempt to remove the taste of Northman from my system.

Watching him kiss Amelia, knowing that it was for my soul benefit, was so obvious. The smirking, the eye contact. I thought that maybe he was making it known that he could do this, and that maybe our toe curling kiss wasn't that special after all? I don't know what his intentions where; all I knew is that it hurt like hell to see it happen. As soon as they stopped and Tara was laughing, Lafayette looked straight at me. Ames and Eric just started to rip the other one on their shitty kissing techniques. I simply excused myself and went upstairs.

I didn't care if they stayed over. I was tired and drunk and now just a feeling a little bit sorry for myself.

Lafayette came in not ten minutes later. "Hey, Ames is passed out on one couch, Tara on the other. I'm just going to crash in one of the spare rooms, that cool?"

"Of course." I smiled "Want to crash in here with me? I could use the company."

He slipped off his shoes and shirt and crawled in beside me.

"So Sookie, what's the deal with you and Viking?"

"Not now La, please?"

"But there is a deal?"

"No. I thought maybe… but no, there's just Jessica. That's all."

"A—"

I tried my best not to cry. I wouldn't not over something so stupid.

"G'night Lafayette."

He sighed, but dropped it.

"G'night Sook."

The night of my birthday was something I thought I'd never forget. I'd set out with the intention of making it memorable, but of course succeeded in making it memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Eric and I had a job to do, and that was raising that little girl. And that's what we did. After that night, it seemed he and I both decided that a more businesslike approach was needed to our parenting skills.

There was a schedule, and it was never ignored. In fact, we worked it out so well that for a whole month he and I didn't even have to talk to each other. We'd hired Maxine as her part-time babysitter on the days that both he and I had to be gone at the same time. His business was booming according to Ames, who just adored working for him and Pam. The Crown on the other hand was sinking and it didn't matter what I did because Sophie just went and undid it. I'd reached the end of my rope with her.

Before I knew it, it was the end of September. The summer of upheaval had ended and we'd made it safely to another season. Jessica was thriving; she'd gone from one or two words such as her little "hi" to "juice," and of course her favourite, "no." For almost a whole week everything was answered with a hearty "no." It took us both asking her double negatives to get her to agree to something. "So you don't, don't want a bath?"

"No."

"Awesome."

But she had gone from those little words to full sentences and it was an awesome thing to witness. "I goes now," and her favorite for when I'd leave for work in the morning, "bye, bye nows."

She had yet to address me, even as Sookie. She just wouldn't say it. I was still just 'uhh.' Do you know how emotionally draining it was for your little girl to pass you over, in favor of "spoon" and "cookie?" I mean hell, Cookie and Sookie were practically the same word, and yet—nothing. Eric, on the other hand, had several names. First, he was Da-ric, then he was Wic, and then she just settled on Dadda. I knew it affected him. The first few times I'd seen her say it to him, he'd freeze. I knew how hard it must have been for him. We both questioned what she should call us—technically we were her parents now—but in both our minds, that title still belonged to Alcide.

She wasn't walking. In fact, she seemed pretty set against getting on her feet. I mean, why should she? Eric liked to carry her just about everywhere they went, and she was more than attached to his view of the world from way up there. She'd tried a few times, but each time she'd stand, she'd fall back on her little butt again, and laugh to herself before crawling off. Like the talking thing, I decided that worrying about it was pointless. She'd walk when she was damn well ready.

Eric decided that he'd start dating again, and by 'dating' I mean going out on a Friday night and coming back Saturday morning to do his walk of shame. Except for Eric, there was no shame. While his usual joie de vivre was missing, he didn't let it stop him.

Sam and I, we continued to see each other and even took the relationship to that next crucial level. The dates were always sweet and thoughtful. Even silly things like going to the park with the baby and a picnic he seemed to enjoy. Being with him, it was simple and so easy and just so chilled out. There was no drama or tension, no arguments or fights.

It was the exact opposite to what I was used to, living with Eric. I needed him in my life and even though Sam and I were a mismatch in so many ways, I really wanted to make things work between us. I tried my hardest to love him as much as I liked him, and yet something was missing. Everything was chugging along, admittedly not as smoothly where Eric was concerned, but Jessica and work where my main focus, and Sam came after that. He knew where he stood and he was fine with it, because I also knew how much he loved his job and exactly what it demanded of him. It wasn't until Bill showed up at my doorstep one rainy Friday that it clicked within me why I was clinging to my relationship with Sam so tightly.

***Shuffles nervously* Okay all I ask is for you to breaaaaaaathe, and please don't hate Sookie. I have a plan I promise. Say it with me, plot development. :D If you don't hate me that much, hit the review button like a sweetie! Big thank you to vikinglover_elle for her beta'ing skills and making this baby all pretty :D **


	16. Chapter 16

**EPOV:**

The night of Sookie's birthday was one of little sleep for me. I'd laid awake just running that kiss over and over in my head, wondering what every little response from her meant, wondering why she was so against the idea of us. Of course my pigheadedness and bruised ego had taken over right after her not so subtle suggestion that the kiss meant nothing—I kissed her friend?

What the hell was I thinking?

I mean, I'm pretty sure Pam was telling me the truth that Amelia was in fact playing for the other team, and it was the reason I'd picked her. I couldn't kiss Sookie again, not in front of her friends, not when there was so much tension and unsaid woes between us. Kissing Tara would have made it awkward, and Lafayette just wasn't my type. Of course, she and I avoided each other like the plague the next day. She collected Jessica—insisting even with her massive hangover she was fine. She went to the park with Sam and Jessica, and I felt more left out than I'd ever felt before. It was to become an on-going theme when Sam was around, and it made me hate him even more than before. True to her word, Sookie never brought him around the house for their dates. But, he'd pick her up, drop her off, and send flowers and candy and a whole mass of cheesy shit that was so 1990. I focused on work; I focused on Jessica; I tried not to focus on Sookie, as hard as it was.

I know to the outside world she seemed to be a bit of a bitch, but she really wasn't. I mean, she could be when she wanted to be—let's face it, we all could be—but she had this innate vulnerability behind her eyes that would quickly be followed up by a steel strength and determination. It reminded me a lot of myself at times. I'd told her I was dating again. Of course, she tried to act casual for a response, but like me, her eyes gave her away. I saw a smidgen of disappointment in them before she wished me luck and hoped I'd find someone that would, "make you happy". It's what she said, and I totally believed her, though when I'd asked her if Sam made her happy her eyes told me the truth while her mouth lied. I'd lied to her too. I hadn't intended to, mainly because I suck at lying (it's the damn eyes again) but I had intended to date. In fact, I had intended to fuck every woman that would have me in the hopes of fucking my feelings for Sookie, out of my system.

It didn't work.

The week after her birthday I'd decided that I'd call up an old flame. Lindsay and I had hooked up the previous summer—it had been a weirdly wonderful so-called 'relationship'. She ran the City library and had that whole sexy-naughty-but-nice librarian thing going on, complete with the glasses and the fuck me heels.

The previous summer had been one of little talking—she was big on that. I guess it was a leftover quirk of working in silence all day? I didn't know, all I knew was that she went down on me between the business section and the autobiography section of the library after hours and it had been one of the top three blowjobs of my life. So when I called her and she agreed to meet me I'd put my game face on and was up for it.

We met, and had a few drinks. She told me the library was expanding, business was improving, and she'd been thinking about fucking me on the stacks of books by her desk for months after we agreed to break-up. It was an interesting kink of hers—that and a little light bondage.

We'd met up at the hotel and everything about it felt seedy, but I went anyway because I had a bruised ego and serious case of blue balls. It wasn't until we'd gotten into things I realized how much of a pussy I'd become. I wanted to fuck her; I needed to fuck her; to use her—as crass as it sounds—to rid myself of whatever glitch of emotions being stuck in that house with Sookie had provided me.

Except I couldn't.

She'd even commented that my 'head wasn't in the game,' even as she used that amazing mouth on me, nothing happened.

I hadn't got laid in months, and nothing was happening. I was broken in more ways than one.

So after that, I understandably felt a little useless.

Then it happened, the one thing that brought me out of my funk, that amazing little girl I got to call my own.

It had been an ordinary Tuesday. Sookie had gone to work, leaving Jessica washed and dressed and chillin' in her crib. Of course now she was standing up and walking around it holding on, but she was happily spouting gibberish to herself before I entered her room. She was going to be tall. Her limbs had stretched out and her little blonde hair had grown just past her ears; it was even starting to curl a little on the ends. She recognized me as I walked into the room. She was busy making 'broom broom' noises when I picked her up and she latched her little hands around my face said it. One word and it had my whole insides turning to mush.

I was her dada.

A chill ran through me when she said it, and just for the record, I made her say it like six times before I blinked away the stupid tears that had formed in my eyes. As beautiful as her little address was, all I could think about was Alcide, and how this should have been directed at him.

Sookie and I had successfully avoided each other for weeks. We'd practiced it almost like a dance. She'd leave for work before I'd be out of the shower, Jessica would always be reading and waiting happily. We'd hang out—do her baby things like eat and cover herself in her food, watch some kids programs and sing-a-long—though if anyone asked, I just watched and let her bop along by herself. What? They say in the baby books that interaction is very important. If that meant singing along to 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,' then so be it. By the time Sookie had come home, I'd be getting ready for work. I'd kiss Jessica goodbye—she was getting big on her cuddles too—and leave without having dinner. I'd refused to eat with her for almost a month, it was just too awkward. What would we make chit chat about? Her life with Sam? Work? Fake conversations didn't interest me, so I didn't have them. I wasn't about to start with Sookie.

By the middle of September, I had busied myself so much with work I was noticing less and less that Sookie was spending more nights with Sam than she was at "home." She wasn't neglectful of Jessica, not in the slightest. In fact, there were many nights I'd return from work to find them asleep on the couch together all snug and cuddling, and despite Sookie's obvious fear that Jessica was preferring me over her—since she refused to name her and all—it was clear to just about anyone the little girl adored her. But she, like everyone else, could probably sense Sookie's fear.

We'd switched schedule times for September because Sophie-Ann was holidaying in the south of France for a month, basically leaving Sookie in the shit. So, she did the days and I did the nights. It was all very amicable.

Jessica and I stopped by the office one day both Sookie and I were off. Tara had come over and they were going to rearrange her bedroom or some other excuse to gossip, I wasn't sure. I made myself scarce. Only, I wished I had called the office first because what I witnessed wasn't something I was ever expecting to see.

"PAM?"

"ERIC! Oh my GOD!" Amelia covered herself up, she was, for the lack of a better phrase 'spread eagle' on my fucking desk, with Pam between her legs.

"You have GOT to be fucking kidding me, Pam!" I put my free hand over Jessica's eyes. She was far to young to have seen that. In fact, I was far too young to have seen that.

"What? You're the only one who gets to sex the wait staff?" She smirked, rearranging herself slowly, not caring that Ames was sitting red-faced, attempting to do the same.

"Okay, that's it! Both of you, out of here, now! And Pam, order me a new desk before the end of the day."

"Grouchy. Just because you aren't getting laid, sweetie, don't throw stones at me. Hi, Jessica."

"Don't touch the baby. I don't know where those hands have been today…"

Amelia just cringed and chanted, "Oh, my God," into her hands.

I picked up my paperwork to take home. There was no way I could work at my desk now. Not when Pam was having an all-you-can-eat buffet on it for God knows how long.

"Da, Pam's byes now?" came Jessica's little comment. I had no idea but I guess since she saw her leave that was her version of "byes."

"Yeah, baby, Pam goes bye now."

"Ok." she sighed, sounding as if she had the weight of the world on her teeny tiny shoulders. I just laughed.

"Okay, let's go home. You want a cookie when we get home?"

"Cook-key?"

"Yep, a nice big one full of sugar to rile you up for Sookie." I smiled. "I think Uncle Dou-, Sam is coming over."

I stopped at the bakery on my way home. I picked up a dozen donuts and some cupcakes, one of which Jessica obliterated in the backseat of the car on the way back. She was covered in pink frosting that had even somehow managed to get up her nose. I still didn't know how that kid managed it sometimes. I hated that even cupcakes were tainted by Sookie and her evil.

Okay, so she wasn't evil, but there were times when I did question it. Even though I knew better and I knew I was just being a sulking little bitch for no reason. She rejected me, so what, right? I should just be a man and move the fuck on, right?

Well, yes. But it was one of those things that was much easier said than done, as my failed attempts had proven to me.

The kitchen and downstairs was empty, telling me that Tara and Sookie were, in fact, going to rearrange her room and probably gossip while doing so. What I didn't expect was to be proven right by having the evidence broadcasted into the kitchen via the forgotten baby monitor. It was on in Sookie's room because that's where Jessica had decided nap time should be that day. The other was on the kitchen counter next to the fridge.

I hadn't meant to listen in. It was wrong and intrusive and creepy, right? But yet, when one hears ones name mentioned, what is one to do?

"So... how are things between you and Eric now?" I heard Tara ask.

"Horrible. I mean, I'm pretty sure we're right back were we started. He hates me, Tara."

"That's not true."

"It is. I can't remember the last civilized conversation I had with him that didn't involve Jessica. He doesn't look at me—not directly; we don't talk; I barely see him, and when I do it's for minutes at a time and it's all so fucking awkward."

Well, I was glad we were both on the same page.

"All because of one kiss?"

Oh, so she knew about that? Not so surprising.

"One pretty epic kiss… But yeah, I mean it shouldn't have happened." She sighed.

"So then why did you do it?"

"Can't I just blame the cocktails?"

"Stackhouse?"

"Okay, fine. Because I let it happen; because I wanted it to."

"Uh-huh, and after? You just brush the poor guy off and jump into bed with Sam. That's cold."

"Thanks? And besides it wasn't like that at all!"

"You know it was. And so out of character for you too… what gives?"

"I was seeing Sam. I am seeing Sam," she corrected herself. "He's my boyfriend, not Eric!"

"And how's that going?"

I heard her sigh and throw what sounded like fabric—probably her sheets.

"Honestly? It's fine. It's nice."

"Nice?"

"_Yes."_

"That's so hot."

"Shut up!" She laughed. "He's great…"

"I'm sensing a but?"

"But… Sex… isn't everything, right?"

My ears perked up at that little turn in conversation as I carried Jessica into the den for cartoon time.

"Oh, oh. What is it?"

"It… well.. It kind of … it's not you know…"

"Out with it, Sookie."

"I haven't been able to have an orgasm with him."

I swear I damn near dropped the baby. Doctor Douche was bad in bed. I did what I always assumed was my Chandler Bing happy dance, with Jessica in one hand and the monitor in the other. She was one. She chewed her fists, she wouldn't judge me.

"Shit, for real?" Came Tara's reply.

"I mean the sex is nice… it's …"

"Bitch, please, NICE? Sookie, a manicure is nice, a day at the spa is nice, being fucked by your boyfriend isn't meant to be nice."

"Believe me, I've tried okay? It's just …"

"Teeny weenie?"

AHA! I so knew all that 'size doesn't matter' shit was lies. It so matters.

Of course, it was never an issue I had to worry about. Well, except that one time when the girl was a virgin and was so tight that… well anyway…

"What? No, he's perfectly … fine in that department. It's just… well, to be totally honest, I've been faking it…All the time."

"You bitch."

"I know! I mean, I know I should say something, but Tara, he's a good guy and he's sweet, okay? And I really do like him."

"But you don't love him."

"It's too soon for love." She dismissed

"Well, that's bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"What happened to the Sookie I used to know? The Sookie who took charge and tattooed her pussy just to piss her boyfriend off? The Sookie that flashed a trucker in high school just because we dared that she was too much of a prude to do it? The Sookie that kicked Quinn's cheating ass all around the Wal-Mart parking lot? Huh? The one that swore she'd never let a man bring her down? The one that believed in love at first sight and passion above all else?"

"That girl grew up."

"That girl got squashed," Tara countered.

"That girl… met Bill Compton." She sighed.

"True that. But Sookie, come on. You can't go on like this. He thinks he's epic in bed and here you are still not getting off. How is that fair?"

"It's not. And Tara, I swear to God I've never missed being fucked, like fucked, so much in my LIFE. Not to be a whore, but sometimes you just…"

"Want to be fucked through the floor boards?"

She sighed.

"God forgive me, but yes."

They both started to laugh at each other before I heard a shuffling.

"Hey, want some iced tea? I think we're about done here.

Shit, they were coming downstairs. I switched off the monitor and threw it in Jessica's play pen.

"Hey, Eric!" Tara said cheerfully "Where's Jess?"

"She's watching Elmo."

Sookie didn't speak she just went for the iced tea in the fridge.

"You want some?" She aimed at me.

"No. I'm good."

She sighed again. Maybe it was southern thing, but she seemed to hate when I refused food or drink from her.

"_Fine."_

"Fine."

I saw Tara roll her eyes as she made her way into the den.

"So Eric, is this how it's going to go? Forever? Are we going to just not speak for the rest of our lives? Is that how's it going to go?"

"Maybe."

"GOD! Will you stop with the one word answers! It's driving me nuts!"

"Sorry."

She glared.

"Look, this has gone on long enough don't you think?

"And what's that?"

"You know what! This! Us, acting like we're total strangers in the same damn house. Eric, it's killing me."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Eric!"

"What do you want from me, Sookie?" I snapped, my calm voice gone. "You don't want me? That's fine, I can deal with that shit, but you can't have me here as your crutch before running off to Sam for a relationship. You can't have it both ways. So you don't like how I'm acting? Well, tough."

"So that's it? Because you think I rejected you we can't even be friends?"

I scoffed. "We were never friends, don't kid yourself any more than you're already doing."

And yeah, like the typical guy I was, I walked out on her. I hated when my anger got the best of me. It didn't happen often, but when it did, I had a tendency to get very loud.

SPOV:

I'd tried everything, and I mean everything. Sex … with Sam just wasn't what I was expecting. I mean, his pre-show was all about getting me there, and it worked. He had moves. But his main show just wasn't good enough, I was sad to say. Telling Tara had been like a weight off my chest. I had tried to nudge him in the right direction of what I wanted, but he just didn't get it.

But sex wasn't everything, right? It used to be, but when I met Bill the sex was boring- at best- and I'd put up with it, hadn't I? Though I hated myself for putting up with the rest of Bill's bullshit. He was emotionally abusive and it had taken me months to even realize what he was doing. By then my self-confidence was so low I didn't dare break up with him. He'd told me time and time again I was 'broken' and he was the only one who would want me.

And I'd believed him, like an idiot.

The reason why I couldn't have kids—or why I'd been told it would be 'near impossible to conceive,' is the phrase they used—was because of an accident I'd had while pregnant when I was seventeen. I'd been headed to New Orleans when one of the tires blew out on our truck and we'd flipped over at the end of the highway. They'd told me it wasn't advisable, nor did they think it was possible, for me to get pregnant. So, from then on in, I'd just resigned myself to the fact that children were off the menu of life for me. It's why I avoided Hadley when she was pregnant. It's why I'd spent very little time with Jessica prior to the accident. I felt like shit for doing it now because maybe if I hadn't, maybe she and I would have been able to bond a little better? I'd never know.

All I knew was that I was sick of Eric's shit, and if he wanted to act like a child about our situation then that was his deal. Jessica and I went shopping with Tara to try, at the very least, to curb my shit-tastic mood.

I'd gone through four baby departments before Tara dragged me away. I'd gotten Jessica enough shit to last her until she turned two—hats, boots, baby flip-flops, even though she doesn't walk yet. She insisted I go lingerie shopping but honestly, what was the point? I'd wanted to put my sexual failures out of my mind for as long as possible.

"Fine, let's go to McDonald's then," I suggested when she said she was hungry. Truth was, I was starving too, and I was sure Jessica wouldn't say no to a little junk food.

"But I want coffee, Sookie, and not the McD's coffee. It sucks."

"Fine, there's a Starbucks across from the restaurant. Just come on."

We'd walked past the Starbucks, Tara promising once she set her order inside she'd pop across and get her fix.

By the time Jess and I were seated, she'd come back with her venti cup firmly attached to her hand.

"Let's sit outside, it's hot."

"Hot, and you went and got a coffee? Sensible."

She just rolled her eyes as we got the baby seated.

That's when I saw him. Eric and the damn social worker chatting it up, sitting together at the Starbucks window. She was laughing at something he was saying and he was obviously hamming it up for her benefit. The jealousy that ran through me shocked me a little. I mean, I knew, I had no right to feel this way. No right at all.

And yet I did.

I fed Jessica her fries, the way she preferred—a fry, then a piece of fruit that came with the meal—fruit and fries… Babies were weird.

But then again, there I was dipping my fries into my shake. So maybe she just knew what she liked?

I watched what was going on across the street, not saying anything to Tara until she caught me not listening to her.

"Is that Eric? Who's the bitch?"

"She's not a bitch…" I said, though maybe now I'd change my tune. That bitch. "She's our social worker."

"Ew, is he dating her? It looks kinda like they know each other."

Oh, God. Was he dating her? Random faceless whores I could deal with. But our social worker? Was that even LEGAL?

"No, I mean… she has class and a brain. Clearly not his usual type."

Tara laughed.

"Oh, God." I panicked. "What if he's meeting with her about me? Tara, what if he hates me so much that he's going to try and get sole custody of Jessica!"

"Sookie, calm down."

"No! Oh my GOD, TARA! What if he tries to take her away from me…?"

"He wouldn't do that!"

"How do you know? You don't know him!"

"Well, you don't seem to either, okay? Look, Ames works for the guy and she's been telling me that he sings nothing but praises over you and the kid. You two might not like each other very much—that's fucked up, too, by the way—but he sees how much you love her. So please calm your titties!"

"But…"

"But nothing. Look, Eric's a charming guy and if he's dating her then, so what?"

"It's unethical that's what! She's meant to be impartial! And if she's fucking him she's obviously going to be on his side!"

"And if she's not? Sookie, we should go. Really, there are kids here and your pitch is so high it's attracting dogs. Let's just go."

By the time Tara dropped us off I was a lot more calm. It was silly of me to freak out. So what if she was seeing him? I'd done nothing wrong. I was being a good mom to Jessica, the best I knew how to be. She couldn't take her from me without a valid reason.

So calm I stayed, until it started to rain, forcing Jessica and I from the pool in favor of cuddling time in front of 'Finding Nemo.'

A knock came to the door sometime after five, and it wasn't anyone I was ever expecting.

"Bill? What are you doing here?"

He stood in what I knew was his 'Sunday best,' his hair flat and parted. He looked like a douche, which was fitting since that's what he was. How it had taken me so long to see it, I'll never know.

"I came to see you. I missed you."

"Bill, it's been months."

He handed me a pretty bunch of roses. Douche or not, the flowers were nice. It wasn't their fault the person who bought them was a twat.

"I know, and for that I am so sorry, sweetheart. I meant to come sooner, but I just had to wrap my head around this whole child thing. But I've accepted this is part of your life now, and I'm willing to take you back."

Woah woah woah, excuse me?

"Take ME back? Bill, I broke up with you—twice. Why would you think—"

"Sookie, raising children isn't easy, and I know when we started dating I told you I didn't want children. The fact is, that was a lie. I knew you were defective in that area so I didn't want to rub salt into the wounds."

But he was fine doing it now?

"Bill…"

"No. Listen, I love you and I know that doing this alone can't be easy on you at all and I'm here to help. I know of wonderful boarding schools and nannies that would be willing to move in. Really, the load is not that heavy."

"Boarding schools? Wow, you know what, you need to stop talking."

"But, Sookie… The child needs a father figure!"

"The child has a father!"

"The guy you're living with? Please, a child needs parents who love each other and that's what you and I had. Are you and this Eric... are you in love with him?"

"I… look, Jessica has a family that loves her. She has a mother and a father who love her. Sure we're not conventional, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that she's taken care of, and she IS!"

"Sookie. I know how much you wanted children and I know how this, this baby just falling into your lap must have been a dream come true for you. But darling, you're kidding yourself if you think raising it with some random stranger is healthy."

"Bill, you aren't getting it are you? I don't want you. You or your passive-aggressive, abusive personality around my baby!"

"She's not your baby, you fool. You see, this is just the behavior I was talking about—kidding yourself into believing you're her mother. Really, Sookie..."

He took a step towards me, knocking me off my balance and sending me into the couch.

"Now Sookie, I've had about enough of your nonsensical rambling on this topic. So like I've said, the child needs a father and you need me. So let's stop fussing around and just agree, hmm?"

"I…"

"Sookie, you know I don't like to get upset, and you're making me upset. And you know how I get when I'm upset."

One of the first times I broke up with him, his handprint remained on my face for three hours after it happened.

"Bill..." I said as calmly as I could despite my fear and the fact that my heart was thundering out of my chest. "I want you to leave. I don't need, nor do I want you. Jessica has a daddy who loves and adores her and I can assure you, you are not him."

I was still below him on the couch, giving him the advantage over me. He stood over me and I could see the calculating rage behind his eyes. I'd forgotten what it was like to be that afraid.

"You're a broken little whore, you know that?"

"BILL, LEAVE." I stood up to him by actually standing up to him this time.

And that's when I felt it, right across my face, throwing me back into the couch again. Just above my eye—that shit would bruise like a peach.

I didn't know what happened but suddenly Eric was there. I heard yelling coming from Bill and then I heard the baby crying. The next thing I knew, Eric had Bill by the scruff of his neck, up against the wall. He was kneeing him in the balls over and over while all I felt was the sting of my eye and the bruise that was forming underneath.

"Bill, right? Right. Bill, let me tell you something, you piece of shit. No man hits a woman, okay? Not this woman and not when I'm around, do you understand? You come into her house and you think it's okay to even think about shit like this? You're a pathetic excuse for a man." There was a punch as Bill attempted to struggle and kick Eric. No such luck on his part. He was a good five inches shorter than Eric, maybe more, since I knew his shoes had lifts in them. Eric slammed him against the wall with another punch to the gut before Bill spat blood on the carpet.

"I'll be informing my lawyers of this!"

"Oooh, I really hope so Billy boy. I really do, because then I can tell them exactly what I saw today—you walking into this woman's home after she asked you to leave and abusing her, then assaulting her. Sure, you go ahead and do that."

He dragged him to the front door while I managed to pick myself up off the couch.

He opened the door and with one shove, Bill was on his ass down the steps, his clothes torn and his face bloody, the rain pelting on him hard and fast.

"You come in here and you upset my daughter, and my Sookie and you think that's okay? You get the hell out of this neighborhood Bill, before I really let my temper go on you, understand?"

Bill glared at us both, "You can have her. She's a broken whore and that's all she'll ever be."

I felt the tears well up in my eyes but I refused to cry in front of the bastard. Eric just growled.

"Don't make me get my gun, Bill."

With that, he walked to his car and got in, leaving Eric to slam the door behind him.

"Jesus Christ, Sookie. What the fuck was that?"

"That was my ex."

"And you said I had shitty taste in partners?" he smiled. He then walked me over to the couch and helped me to sit down. I could do it just fine on my own, but his help was appreciated.

"Come here, show me your face." He came closer and the rough fists that had laid into Bill were now soft and gentle hands as he examined my face.

"Sookie, you're going to need a stitch in that, it's bleeding. That bastard." I could feel his rage, but his eyes softened when they looked at me. That's when I let the tears fall.

"I'm fine, really." I said lying to myself and to him as I held back my sobs.

"See to Jessica, okay? She's crying."

"She can self-soothe. Right now, you're more important." He walked into the kitchen and got a wet washcloth and filled it with ice for me, as well as the tiny first-aid kit I assumed Hadley bought. I found it under the sink weeks before.

"Here. Hold this to your face, it'll help the swelling." After a few moments of silence he asked, "May I?" holding out the tiny band-aid and taking the ice back from me.

"I'm sorry, Eric."

"For what? This isn't your fault."

"It is, he came here because of me and I …" The water works started again. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"I'm glad I saw it. I'm glad I was there before he had the chance of hurting you even more than he did. Has that happened before?"

I didn't answer him, but he seemed to not need an answer.

"That asshole. Why did..." he began to ask, but then stopped himself.

"Ask me. Why did I let him get away with it?"

He nodded.

"Well, you heard him, I'm a defective little whore. Who would want me?"

"I…" he began, but then stopped himself again.

His eyes grew sad as he fixed the small white band-aid to my forehead before he leaned in and kissed it.

"All better?" he asked, as if he were asking Jessica about her boo-boo.

"You don't have to be so sweet. I probably deserve…"

"Hey, no. Listen to me, okay? No woman, no person deserves that, and definitely not you."

"But don't you hate me, too?" I said through shaking lips. The shock of it finally hitting me. "I've been nothing but a total bitch to you and ever since we kissed it's just been so hard to know what to do right, Eric."

"I know. It's the same for me, you know?"

"Is that why you've been radio silent?"

"A little," he nodded, putting the first-aid kit back together.

"Your hand is bleeding." I noticed when he handed me the ice pack again.

"It's fine. Are you okay?" He dismissed his own pain in favor of checking in on mine, again.

" I am … I will be."

He nodded again, before getting up to check on the baby.

"Hey, Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." I attempted to smile, even though it hurt.

"You're welcome." He lingered in the doorway for a second before he shook his head to himself and making the trek to the den for Jessica.

I didn't know it then, but he'd saved my life that day. Really, in more ways than one.

**A/N: So, what did we think honeys? The reason why Sookie is clinging to the idea of Sam so much? Yep that would be Bill's fault *glares* **

**Anyone else want an Eric? Lol! Hit me up with your opinions, Pms are now enabled again I have no idea why they were turned off!**


	17. Chapter 17

**EPOV:**

After I'd stormed out of the house, I realized I didn't really want to go anywhere specific, so I ended up driving around for almost an hour before I needed a coffee fix. I'd been in Starbucks for almost ten minutes when I spotted her by the counter deciding over a mint chocolate or strawberry something or other, as well as a cookie.

"Meg?"

"Eric? Hi."

"Hi. It's nice to see you again."

"I'm busted, huh? I'm in the area for another family's meeting; they aren't my easy family like you guys are and I need a caffeine fix before I visit them."

"That bad, huh?"

"Believe me, you and Sookie are a walk in the park compared to some situations I deal with. And considering she showed up tipsy on our last visit…" She raised her brows at me.

"I think we're the ones that are busted. Is that bad?"

"You weren't drinking, right?"

"No, of course not," I answered her honestly.

"Then it's fine. I mean not 'fine' but not something I'm concerned about. You both seem responsible and since you were the one on babysitting duty, I can let Sookie off this once."

"She was mortified if that helps..."

"It does. It's obvious that she cares for Jessica, so I'm not worried."

"Good, because she does you know. I mean, we both do."

She nodded.

"How is Jessica?"

"She's great! She's growing! She's a funny little girl, has an addiction to music—shit music—but she loves it. She's not walking yet, but she stands and moves up and down to dance before she falls on her ass. You should see her looking around like someone pushed her." I laughed, causing her to laugh, too. I found that whenever anyone asked me about Jessica, I tended to get animated describing her. Months before, I'd have laughed at those types of parents that got so enamoured with their kids and just thought they were the best thing ever. But now? I think I'd become one of them.

"It's good to know that she's been adjusting."

"She is. I mean, it's not been easy, and there are times when she has tantrums that I just do not know how to deal with—and it's overwhelming—but I deal. We deal."

"And how are you dealing with each other?"

I sighed.

"That bad?"

"We've had our problems. To say the least."

"And now?"

"Right now, honestly, we're not actually on speaking terms."

"Oh. May I ask why?" She sipped her coffee, looking at me thoughtfully. It had been awhile since I'd had a conversation with a woman that wasn't tinted in either sarcasm or hatred.

"We… There have been misunderstandings between us. Mostly on how we feel, or don't feel, about each other."

"Ohh. Right. Well, that much was obviously going to happen."

"Excu—"

"Well, Eric... come on. There is enough sexual tension between you two to power the entire city. I saw it the first time I met you both, and it's obvious living in the same house, parenting Jessica, that that would intensify things."

"And you couldn't have said something?"

She laughed at my ridiculousness.

"I still think having or attempting a casual sex—"

"I wouldn't do that with her."

"_Really?" _She didn't look so convinced.

"Really. She and I, we've been through a lot of changes these last few months. I've changed a lot too, I think."

"How so?"

"Well..." I sighed, "I never thought I wanted a family, or just one woman. I didn't 'do' relationships, mainly because when I tried it just seemed like I was trapped."

"And now you feel differently?"

"A little. I mean, I was handed a toddler and a co-parent overnight. We had to sink or swim. It wouldn't have been my first choice for my life—but now that it's here, I can't imagine life with her."

"Jessica."

"Her too," I smiled. And when she realized who I meant, she smiled too.

"Does she know how you feel?"

I sipped my coffee, stalling. That was the question.

"Well, I kissed her and if that doesn't say 'Hey, I like you!' then, I don't know what does."

She set down her giant mug with a slight smirk on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"Women… We need reassurance, Eric. Lots of it."

"But I…"

"Unless you flat out say how you feel, she's just going to keep thinking that the little signs are all in her head. Reassure her that she's what you want. If that's what you want."

"But that's just it. I'm not entirely sure HOW I feel."

She smirked like she knew something I didn't. It was annoying.

"What?"

"You're smitten."

"I am … not."

"You are _so _the smitten kitten."

When I raised a brow at her, she blushed and coughed.

"Sorry, caffeine makes me a tad … excitable."

I just laughed.

"Hey, something we have in common."

My talk with Meg really helped me to calm down. It was unexpected and just plain nice to chat about things without fear of a sarcastic quip in return. Sookie and I were never going to get anywhere with any aspect of whatever fucked up relationship we had if neither of us was willing to communicate with the other. So, I decided to be the bigger person—not just literally—and open up a line for talking, at the very least. I gave myself the best 'man up' pep talk I could on the way home. I drove to the sounds of Radiohead as I picked up a ton of Chinese food.

Food—everyone liked Chinese, right? Since I wasn't totally sure what she liked, I pretty much picked one of each thing off half the menu, hoping something stuck. She'd tried the 'breaking bread' olive branch so many times over the previous weeks—which I blatantly threw back in her face. It was idiotic and egocentric. I knew that now. So I hoped my gesture wouldn't go shunned as I had shunned hers. But when I walked into the kitchen through the French doors from the backyard, Sookie wasn't alone. In fact, Sookie was having a pretty heated argument with whoever was in the living room with her.

I placed the food on the counter, not making my presence known right away.

"_But, Sookie… The child needs a father figure!"_

"_The child has a father!"_

That was interesting.

"_The guy you're living with? Please, a child needs parents who love each other and that's what you and I had. Are you and this Eric... are you in love with him?"_

I listened to them argue. Sure I probably shouldn't, but really, who was going to know? I heard him mention something about Sookie wanting kids—past tense—rather heavily. He brandished about a few below the belt insults to her, but she seemed to deflect them pretty well. When she mentioned that Jessica had a daddy who loved her, I'll admit my heart ached a little. As scary as it was, I was that guy.

When he said the words "broken little whore," never in my whole life did I feel the rage that I felt at that moment. How fucking dare he! I rounded the corner of the living room just in time to see him hit her. He struck her hard, the force of the blow throwing her onto the sofa with a 'thwack.'

_Bastard._

I saw red. The next thing I knew, I was throwing him out onto the front steps in the pouring rain. He was pathetic and it was disgusting that he thought he could hit a woman, any woman, but certainly not who I wanted as my woman.

The bastard had really done a number on her face, hitting her right where she'd bruise heavily. I did my best to comfort her. Being that close to her felt good, even if all I was doing was stopping her bleeding and swelling. I'd witnessed enough bar fights in my time to know how to treat a slap or a punch. But looking into her big blue eyes so full of shock and pain as she apologised over and over for something that was so out of her control, it broke me and all I wanted to do was take her in my arms and tell that I was there. And as long as I was, he would never touch her again.

Of course, I couldn't. She wasn't mine to protect, even though I wanted to. She belonged to Sam and as much as I didn't understand it—especially given what I'd found out hours before—she was still making the choice to be with him.

But what alternative had I offered her? Had I really offered her anything at all?

No, the more I thought about it, the more I realized she still saw me as a whore. Even if it wasn't the total truth, it was still all she assumed—it was all I let her assume. And out of jealously and wounded man pride, I let those ideas escalate for a few months more.

I was an idiot.

When I checked on Jessica, she was standing in her playpen—eyes red and tears streaming down her little cheeks—with an exasperated look of 'Why'd you leave me?' on her face.

"Hey baby, it's okay. I'm here, shhh it's okay." I tried to placate her with bouncing and jiggles, but she was having none of it. I found her Minnie Mouse pacifier sitting in her playpen, offered it too her and thankfully she took it. Her big blue eyes still rimmed red, evidence of her tears.

_Fucking Bill._

I found Sookie sitting on the couch where I'd left her, the icepack to her face. She too was crying, only silently to herself. Seriously? I couldn't deal with one crying woman, let alone two.

Jessica seemed to sense that there was something wrong, her eyes never leaving Sookie's.

"Hey, pumpkin." Sookie faked a smile when I sat on the couch sitting the baby in between us. "How you doin' baby girl, huh?" she said, sweetly planting kisses on her, making her giggle.

"Let me see?" I reached over and took the icepack from her. She didn't look at me, but I looked at her, examining ever inch of her face.

"The ice should keep the swelling down. Hopefully, it won't bruise too dark. I swear I should have killed him."

"No. You'd do that and he'd win. And we can't let that happen, right?"

Jessica crawled over to Sookie and sat in her lap. It was a touching innocent gesture that I knew tugged at Sookie's heart since I saw another tear fall. Instead of acknowledging it, she simply snuggled Jessica closer to her.

I went to stand up but Sookie's hand landed on mine, though she still didn't look at me.

"Thank you, really I—"

"Don't worry about it." I nodded. "I brought food—Chinese?"

She looked hesitant. "No. Not just yet, I … I think maybe I need to just go lay down for a little bit."

I understood completely. She'd been bruised in more ways than one that afternoon.

"Of course. I'll get Jess fed and happy; you take your time."

She passed me the baby with a weak smile and I watched as she made her way slowly up the stairs. I wanted to comfort her, to let her know she wasn't alone and that men like Bill Compton didn't exist inside every man. Some of us were nothing like him. But honestly, I didn't know what good it would do.

SPOV:

I felt oddly numb, and it wasn't just the ice on my face either. I didn't know why I did it, but somehow I'd always known that my tastes in men were questionable. I'd dated Quinn because he was friends with my brother, and was really the first guy to show any interest in me. I'd stayed with him all through high school even though he was an ass the majority of the time—and he'd cheated on me. Then there was the only other two guys I'd dated seriously. The three in between Bill were flings at best, but Bill for some reason, I'd stayed with for a significant amount of time. I'd let him take that carefree girl and smoosh her into this anal-retentive woman terrified of her own judgements. By the time I'd realized who and what he was exactly, this new life was thrust upon me. Perhaps just in the nick of time? I didn't know if I believed in fate; I liked the idea of it, but was my fate so closely tied with the deaths of two people I loved? For me to get my head out of my ass, did Hadley have to die? That didn't seem fair. What about her fate? Was it her fate to lose her life and the chance to see her baby girl grow into a woman just so I could make sense of my own life? Again, how was that fair? And Eric, was this all the same for him—meant to be, but at the cost of so much pain? No, I didn't like to think it was.

Bill showing up was a blatant reminder of exactly why I was with Sam. He is Bill's opposite in every way. He's kind and sweet and he has a heart that just wants to help people. He cures babies for goodness sakes; you can't attempt to do much better than that. But Tara was right, I was bullshitting myself. I didn't love him though I did see the potential for loving him—it just hadn't hit me right away. Was it unfair to him? Maybe. But we enjoyed each other's company, the dates were always fun and pleasant—sure the sex pretty much sucked—but as it stood he didn't love me yet either. We liked each other and for now, that was enough.

I'd laid on my bed and tried to not over think the day. Of course I failed, but maybe it was necessary. Eric's sweetness to me, and the fact that he stood up and protected me so intensely didn't go unnoticed. I knew he didn't do it to gain favor with me, mainly because hours before he and I weren't even on speaking terms. But he had. He'd saved me from what no doubt could have escalated into something much worse. The look of rage on Bill's face was unlike anything I'd ever seen before, even on him. Eric had stepped in and for that I'd always be grateful. His comment before he left the house had stuck with me though, how we'd never actually been friends. And he was right. We were a lot of things, none of them friend-like in substance. We'd hated each other, we'd tolerated each other for the sake of Jessica, then we kissed and everything got shifted on its head. I liked the kiss, and I was pretty sure if he were to kiss me again, I wouldn't necessarily be upset by it. His kissing skills were plentiful but that was a step he and I just weren't ready for. We weren't even friends.

I had to fix that.

It was a little after nine when I finally made my way downstairs again. The house was silent and mostly dark, the only light coming from the den. There I found Eric lying asleep on the couch with Miss Jessica tucked into his right arm, her thumb in her mouth, both of them sleeping soundly. I didn't want to disturb either of them since it had been an eventful day, and not only for me. Of course, as I tried to slip out of the room, Eric woke up with a groggy "Hey," thrown in my direction.

"Hey." I whispered back. "I didn't want to bother you—"

"You're not. Let me just put her to bed and then we can talk okay?" he said in a low whisper, as he scooped up Jessica and took her to her room.

While he was getting her settled, I'd discovered that he'd bought enough food to feed an army, and most of it was untouched. I threw a few of the different dishes together on two plates and microwaved them for us both. I was starving.

"You want a second helping?" I asked, when he reappeared in the doorway.

"Sure. I'm pretty much a bottomless pit."

"I hate that men can eat till the cows come home, but God knows if we women inhale air we gain weight. How is that fair?"

He just smirked.

We both took our seats at the island—this time next to each other—and ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Eric?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry for the way I reacted when you kissed me."

"For kissing me back?"

"N-no, not for that part," I blushed, "the part after. The cold shoulder, freaking out part. It was stupid of me and it was an overreaction."

He nodded, chewing his soft noodles.

"I'm sorry, too. I didn't exactly help matters, now did I? I think it's safe to say we were both pretty childish, huh?"

"Extremely," I agreed with a smile. One that hurt my ever bruising face.

"Also, Eric, what you said today, about us never being friends...?"

"Yeah, look Sookie, I was angry and stupid and—"

"No, it's not stupid. In fact, you were right. We were never really friends. But I'd like for us to be."

He put down his fork and looked at me. He was intense with his eye contact at times.

"I want to be your friend and not just a tolerated co-parent either. I'd like us to get to know each other. Like _really _get to know each other."

He smiled slightly, more of a crooked grin as he picked up his fork and started chowing down again.

"Sure, Stackhouse. What do you wanna know?"

**A/n : *Crawls out from deathbed* I'm been pretty much dying this last two days and still I wrote, love me? Lol. No really it distracted from my sheer misery of this kicking my ass flu I've taken. *wallows* However what did you think of this one? Sound off in the review box and be a love and bring me some water mmmkay? Haha. Sorry about my fail on review replies but since I couldn't breathe for most of the week they kind of took a backseat but just know that I've read and adored them all so thank you thank you thannnk you so much, all of you *smooshes* **

**Also a big mucho thankies to vikinglover_elle for her beta'ing skills! :D **


	18. Chapter 18

**EPOV:**

"_Sure, Stackhouse. What do you wanna know?"_

"How about we do this the old-fashioned way? Twenty Questions..." She smiled, taking a bite of her chicken spring roll.

"Sure. You start?"

She nodded wiping her hands on her napkin.

"Okay… Favorite holiday?"

"Easy, Christmas. I like giving presents."

"So you're a giver, huh?" she snorted. I swear, she actually snorted. "Sorry, nervous humor. That's good, Christmas is mine too. I mean, Halloween is great but after the age of fourteen, it sucks."

I nodded.

"Yep, no free candy." I was serious, Halloween was useless without candy, it's why my parties at the bar always had free flowing alcohol - but also free flowing candy bowls too . I was a man who liked his sugar. I didn't gain weight easily, my lanky frame in need of serious help to keep me filled out. Pam hated that about me. She insisted that women had to work three times as hard as men to stay slim and that if she inhaled air she'd gained weight.

With Sookie, and our little game I went next, and figured I'd start out as easy as she did. But not before I took a bottle of wine from the wine rack attached to the kitchen island and poured us both a glass.

"Favorite comfort food?"

"Of all the food in all the world? That's a toughie!" she smiled as she thought. "It would have to be French fries and a strawberry milkshake. Not very classy I know, but it's yummy."

That was good, it was simple.

"Strawberry ice-cream, no matter how cold it is. Has to be Haagen-Dazs though."

She nodded along.

"How old where you when you lost your virginity?" she asked, poking at her rice.

"Oh, so we're going that route are we?" I smirked and she just shrugged it off.

"Fine, I was eighteen."

Her eyes widened.

"Don't look so stunned!"

"No, I … really? I mean, that's kind of …"

"Late for a guy? Yeah, so I'd heard. I don't know. I wasn't very social when I was in high school. I mostly concentrated on sports and my grades."

"And girls didn't throw themselves at you?"

I laughed. They definitely did not.

"I didn't always look like this. I had really weird hair, my nose was too big for my face—it was the 1990's if that explains the fashion—and I was the awkward lanky kid from Sweden for a long while."

"Awe. You wittle nerd." she fake sympathized, patting me on the arm.

"It's not funny, kids are mean to foreigners!"

She burst out laughing at my high pitched admission before sipping her wine.

"I was fifteen."

"Tramp," I said sarcastically, earning a punch in the arm.

"Hey, shut up! I was stupid and I thought I loved him and all that jazz. He was older and I guess my head was turned by the attention? I don't know. It wasn't very memorable that's for sure."

I cringed. "Mine either. She was older too… way older."

"How much older?"

"I don't know, like forty."

"FORTY? Oh my God, Eric? Who the hell was she—a friend of your mom's or something?"

I looked guilty.

"Oh my God, she was wasn't she?"

"Not really a friend, more like a casual acquaintance."

Her eyes went wide.

"It was at our holiday party that year. I'd just turned eighteen and I was feeling shit about being a legal virgin… and I don't know, she was nice to me… and you know had that whole cougar thing working for her. But God it was awkward. I was terrified and I came so … It just wasn't great."

She was still chuckling to herself by the time it was my turn.

"Favorite childhood memory?"

She smiled. I was glad I brought us back to a more casual topic.

"I don't really remember my parents, but there is this one time, I was about five and we were baking with my Gran—pies, cookies, bread, the whole nine. I wound up covered in flour and all sticky, but no one cared because I was learning to bake with my Gran and mom and it was fun. Now, anytime I bake, it reminds me of my mom's laugh. I don't really remember her voice but I remember her laugh. Is that weird?"

"No, not at all. It's great that you have that to hold onto, though."

"Yeah, I guess it is. I mean, I'd like to think that we can start doing that for Jessica. You know, building memories that she'll hold on to. Good ones."

I nodded. I hadn't really thought about it, but she was right.

"This one time my dad and I went fishing, which in Stockholm isn't that rare, but he was a busy guy so for us it was treat. We drove out into the country and had a picnic—it was Lunchables and a flask of tea, but it worked. Anyway, we fished for hours and he would tell me about how his dad did it with him and how much he loved the water. We didn't catch anything but on the way home we stopped off at this fish market and bought this huge salmon. We totally lied to my mom but she was so pleased. She probably knew we were lying but she never said. It was a delicious fish, too."

She smiled wide. "That's so sweet."

"What is your tattoo of?"

She blushed.

"I swear you're obsessed."

"Show me a straight guy who wouldn't be…"

"It's…God, I hate you for this. It's just a stupid thing that I did to piss off Quinn."

"Quinn being the virginity stealing douche of a boyfriend?"

She nodded.

"It's lips, okay? Two little pink lipstick looking lips, like a kiss mark."

_Kinky._

"And why…?"

She cringed her face into her hands. "We'd had an argument. He was fine with me going down on him, but he wouldn't do the same. And I was curious about it an all. So to piss him off, I got it done. My argument was if he wasn't going to, I'd need someone's lips there," she said deadpan and it make me laugh out loud.

"Nice move."

"It was. He was so jealous that things improved rapidly after that," she said smugly.

"Have you ever been in love?" she asked me.

"Once."

"Elaborate."

"Do I have to?" I gave her my fakest whine in the hopes she'd let me off.

"Yes," she said, giving me her last spring roll.

I sighed, suddenly hating this game.

"I was nineteen and in college; her name was Anya. She was an exchange student from Stockholm. She reminded me of home, I guess? We dated for a little over a year and then—" I coughed, I hadn't thought about Anya in a long while. "I found her in bed with her Ethics professor. How's that for irony."

"Bitch."

"Pretty much. I was a dork in love and she … was apparently fucking half the faculty."

"Jesus, I'm sorry, Eric."

"For a long time I hated her, you know? But that was a long time ago."

"And no one since her?"

She looked at me, those big blue eyes so full of curiosity and sympathy. I could love her; I could love her a lot, I realized.

Instead of telling her what was floating in my brain I looked away.

"No." I picked at my food a little more. "My turn."

She smiled again. God, I loved her smile. "Make it a good one!"

"Okay. What do you think of me, honestly?"

Her eyes went wide.

"That's a dangerous question, Northman."

"It is and depending on your answer, it could be explosive."

Instead of ignoring me, she simple set down her fork and turned to face me.

"Honestly, huh?"

I nodded.

"Well let's see. On first impressions you come across as … a douche."

"Thank you."

"But there's a lot more to you. I mean, we all have our douche-y moments, right? Um... you're tall."

"No, _really_?"

"Shut up and let me finish!" She rolled her eyes.

"You're tall, and … well you're… you know, hot." She looked away when she said that. "You have nice eyes and a cute butt." She coughed a little with a sound of 'a-hem' before looking at me again. "And you're a good dad to Jessica. You have a goofy side that I think you need to let loose more often, and you're fair. If your employees are anything to go by, you're an awesome boss."

"Did Amelia say that?" I smiled.

"Shush. You … you're patient—with me, with Jess, with Pam too, I'm guessing. That's a good quality to have. Oh, and you make nice pancakes." She grinned looking at the floor.

"Wow, that was a lot of compliments, coming from you. Be careful, my head might explode."

"Okay, shut up. Moving on..."

"Hey, don't you want to know what I think about you?" I poked her in the side.

She sighed dramatically before taking a sip of her wine. "Do I really? I don't know. If it's just going to be 'stupid bitch' then I think I'm good not knowing."

"You're not stupid, and you're not a bitch … most of the time."

She glared at me for awhile. I could see her thinking it over.

"Fine, tell me."

"On first impressions you can come across as a bit of a closed off champagne stealing nightmare."

She grinned wide at my reference to our first date.

"Thank you."

"You're short. But I like short girls." I repeated her way of speaking. "And well… you know, you're hot. You have nice eyes—real nice eyes—and a seriously hot ass." She was blushing but she recognized that I was copying her pattern of compliments—they were all true.

"You're a good mom, but you need to relax and you could be a great mom. You have a goofy side that I think—"

"Okay, I see what you're doing here. Nice," she smirked, sipping her wine.

"Well, what do you know, Sook, we have shit in common after all! Has hell frozen over?"

Our game of twenty questions was productive. I learned she'd wanted to be a fairy when she was little because she really wanted to fly. She learned that I wanted to be Batman, for the obvious extremely cool bat cave reasoning. She liked country music because it reminded her of her grandmother, and she hated peas. I held off on asking her what I was curious about, what exactly Bill had meant when he called her those things. Was it purely out of anger and spite, or was there something deeper behind his words? I wanted to know, but I was sure that the timing wasn't right at all for me to bring that up again. She and I were making progress. I didn't want to fuck that up by messing with her emotions again. Instead, I took what I could get, and what I got was to know her just a tiny bit better than before.

**SPOV:**

"She's peeing!" I yelled.

"She's in water how do you know she's peeing!" he poked his head around the door.

"Pee face!" I pulled her from the tub to hold her over the toilet.

"Sookie, does it really matter? She's a baby."

"It's gross."

"But it's baby pee."

I scrunched up my face. How did he not get this?

"Yeah, pee being the key word. No, it's just icky. And do we want her to grow up being one of those people who pee in the shower? No, we don't."

He just shook his head at me. Eric and I had been making leaps and bounds with our whole 'friendship' thing. We'd been talking a lot more, and he'd even started opening up to me about his family—especially when it came to funny stories about his granddad.

Niall was someone I was looking forward to meeting, even if Eric refused to call him. I still couldn't get it out of him why he wasn't on full speaking terms with his family, but then he'd remind me that Jason hadn't stopped by since we 'took over' either, and I couldn't really argue with him. Jason just didn't care, and who was I to force the issue?

"Okay here." I handed him the towel covered baby. I was a soaking mess since Miss Jessica decided that 'Row your Boat' meant splashing the living crap out of me as I tried to wash her. "Take her, I'm going to find a dry top."

"Why? This one is already very fetching." He looked straight at my boobs and smiled, it wasn't until I glanced in the mirror that I realized the water had made both my top and my bra see through.

Jesus!

"Pervert," I called to the next room, but all I got was a boisterous laugh in return.

"Can I use your treadmill?"

"Sure. You know, you don't have to ask. I mean, it's here for both of us," he answered as I made my way to Jess's room.

"Thanks."

"Though, Sookie, I can think of a number of better and much more fun ways of getting your heart rate up and making you sweat." He wriggled his brows at me.

"_Seriously_? How have you not been slapped repeatedly by women before, really."

"Because, woman… _most_ women, love me."

"Uh huh."

"This one loves me." He pointed to the partly powdered baby laying naked as anything flapping her arms and legs at him with her pacifier in her mouth.

"You love me don't you, Jess? Yes you do." He grinned. "More than Sookie because at least _I_ have a name." He eyed me sideways. Sarcastic bastard. I threw a towel at him.

"I'm just kidding. Maybe it's because your name is so weird she's like, refusing to use it," he sassed.

"I have heavier things than a towel nearby." I shouted as I left the room.

An hour later I was worked out as much as I could. My legs hurt, my stomach hurt, my lungs hated me. But that was a good sign. I never liked my workouts unless they caused a tiny bit of pain. What was the point otherwise?

I'd just rinsed out my hair in the shower when I heard him.

"SOOKIE! QUICK!" I heard his voice through the door.

"What?" I yelled from inside the shower.

"COME HERE, NOW!"

He sounded freaked.

"IS SHE ILL?"

"NO, I THINK SHE'S GOING TO WALK!"

NOW? Really? Damn she could pick her moments.

"Gimme a second!"

"IF SHE DOES IT YOU'RE GONNA MISS IT!"

"Video. Blackberry." I shouted trying to rinse my hair faster to stop it from dripping as I reached for a big towel.

"I think she's doing it!"

"STALL HER!"

"Stall… how?"

"Distract her!" Stupid freaking towel wouldn't wrap right! By the time I almost fell into his room clutching my towel around me, she was crying.

"What did you do?"

"I … distracted her." He looked guilty.

"By doing what?

"Ipushedherbackdownagain," he looked like he might be sick.

She was looked so confused, her face red from sobbing.

"She landed on the pillows and it's not like I wrestled her to the ground! It was a little push!"

"That probably has her traumatized! Aw honey." I picked her up for a cuddle and she continued to side eye Eric like a pro. She wasn't calming down for no one, and I was dripping all over Eric's floor since my hair was towel-less.

"Sugar! Here take her and try and get her back to normal." But as I handed her to Eric, Jessica decided she was too attached to my towel and yanked it along with her.

Leaving me standing naked in front of them both.

It must have only been for a millisecond before I snatched it off the ground, but the look on Eric's face combined with Jessica's sudden giggling fit, I didn't know where to look first.

Eric's mouth was suddenly agape, and Jessica's tears were replaced by a constant stream of giggles.

"Oh my, God." I blushed. "I … I …"

"Bathroom?" Eric offered, pointing as I made sure the towel was secure around me. I turned and all but ran from the room.

"Hey, Sookie?"

"What?" I answered, red-faced from behind the bathroom door.

"_Nice lips."_

I cringed. I wanted to die. I swear that kid had it out for me!

"This one?" He asked. Pointing to one box. It was wrong.

"No, I think she's a size bigger now." He threw the giant diaper box into the cart. He looked around for a second seeing what aisle we were in. "I'll be right back."

"Eric…? He's insane, we've covered that right?" I said to Jessica who was chewing on her pretzel, half of which was now soggy and falling to pieces.

About ten minutes later Eric reappeared with a box in his hands.

"What's that?"

"Oh this? A camera. I figured after our talk the other week that we really should be saving stuff for Jessica. You know, that's not just on our phones. So I bought this. It does pretty much everything and there's a tripod."

"Oh, that's kind of cool actually."

He nodded.

"Yeah, and if it doesn't get used for the baby, I could use it."

"For?"

"My extensive sex tape collection," he said loudly. Of course, it's as we pass one of the most posh looking old lady's in the store. She judged us accordingly.

"I'm kidding!" he held his hands up. "No one needs to see themselves have sex. I mean, unless you're like a socialite or whatever.

I looked at him, 'What the fuck?' written all over my face.

"I'm at home during the day. Jessica likes _E!"_

"Jessica does or _you _do."

"No comment. Oh, do we need this?" He held up a giant bottle of vodka.

"Why?"

"Well, Halloween is in like two weeks right? Are you planning anything?"

"You been talking to Amelia?"

"Maybe," he smiled.

"Yeah, ok so, Halloween used to be our thing. We'd throw a huge party and dress up and … well, it was fun."

"But not this year?"

"I don't know Eric. Things are so different this year. What would we do with Jess?"

"Get Maxine to baby sit or something? I mean, we're doing a Dress Up Weekend at the bar, but Sunday night is free. It could be fun to have a party in the house. We haven't really had people over."

"True… I don't know. Maybe we should think about it?"

"Well, you have maybe a week before we'd need to tell people, right?"

I nodded. Maybe a party was a good idea after all; it could help us all to cut loose. I know that work had me wound tighter than a drum, and Jessica was testing my last nerve lately since she seemed to hate being alone with me… Maybe I did need some grown up time, to relax.

"No, you know what? You're right. I think that's just what we need. Some nice, good, clean fun."

"Good clean fun?"

"You know, with like fake blood and guts and ghosts_. Obviously_." She waved a hand in front of herself for effect.

"Riiight, obviously. Good clean, effed up fun." He abbreviated with a smile for Jessica's sake.

Oh God, we had no idea how fucked the fun would be. Literally.

**A/N: Short, but sweet right? Thank you all so so sooo much (really I can't tell you) for all the reviews on the last chappy and all the well wishes - I'm a tad better but still miserable and housebound but I'm dealing. Writing is a nice distraction from the coughing and the lack of sleep though lol. What did we think of this? I hope it wasn't too short? I needed to end it there, but in the next one lots more progress! ;) Halloween is coming *cough***


	19. Chapter 19

SPOV:

Two days before Halloween and everything was—for the lack of a better term—up shit creek without a paddle.

Work was a complete nightmare. Sophie was back in town and undoing all my previously worked out damage control. I'd realized that my time working for her, and for The Crown, was coming very close to its end. I could handle a lot of things in my life, but Sophie and her bitch fits was not one of them. For years I'd worked 'with' her, but with her usually being three thousand miles away, on the other end of the Internet or the phone. That, I could deal with, no problem. But no more. I was weighing my options and as much as I loved our little team, it was dwindling fast, no thanks to her.

I was working from home that day. Eric was making himself scarce enjoying one of his free days and I can't say I blame him. Jessica was hard work, no doubt about it. He'd called me from the city. Apparently, he was shopping for his Halloween costume, wanting to forgo Pam getting it again this year since last year he'd ended up head-to-toe in leather as one very disgruntled Village Person…People? Village person people? Well, whatever he was, that's what he said. Pam had promised she'd dig out the photos for me to see and shame him.

I'd just finished up Jessica's lunch, and we'd both somehow ended up covered in pieces of her potatoes and vegetables. Of course her chicken was eaten, but the rest ended up on my top.

I wiped up the best I could before the phone rang, letting Jessica crawl around the living room on her play mat while I did so.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Stepping Stones Playgroup. Is this Hadley Herveaux?"

"Uh—"

"Mrs. Herveaux, this is Anita Bleaker. We spoke back in January when you enrolled little Jessica into our program. Well, I'd like to tell you our records indicate that not only is she now of age to join, but we have a space available if you're still interested?"

I fought back the sneaky tears I felt behind my eyes before I interrupted the very chatty Ms. Bleaker.

"Sorry, this isn't Hadley. Hadley died a few months ago."

"Oh. Oh, well, I'm terribly sorry. Oh." She sounded rightly embarrassed. Though not her fault, her little mistake had dredged up all those memories and feelings in the blink of an eye.

"Who is this?"

"I'm sorry, this is Sookie Stackhouse. I'm her cousin and Jessica's legal guardian."

"I see. Well, Mrs. Stackhouse…"

"Miss."

"I'm sorry, Miss. If you'd like to keep Jessica's place it's entirely up to you. If you'd like to come down and maybe take a look at the place, get a feel for it. If it helps, your cousin loved the place and was very adamant that her little girl get in."

That sounded like Hadley. I felt my throat threatening to force my voice to crack on me. As much as I didn't want to cry, I knew the tears would come.

"I'd like that, thank you. Her … well, her other guardian and I should make an appointment, whenever suits you?"

"That's wonderful Miss—"

"Sookie's fine."

"Sookie, how's next week?"

I told her next week would be wonderful, that we'd ring to confirm, and just as I hung up the tears began to flow. Phone still in my hand, I slid down the wall letting my tears get the better of me. I shouldn't be here, Hadley should. She should be the one taking her baby to day care, preschool, watching her grow up and be there for her. Not me.

Those thoughts crept through my head over and over as I struggled to get a hold of myself. Just then Jessica waddled over to me, looking ever so confused and concerned and she flew into my arms with a stumble.

"Mam-mam?" she asked.

I blinked.

And just to be sure, I blinked again.

"What did you say?" I asked holding onto her.

"Mum-mam," she mixed up the words.

"Mama?" I asked and she said it again this time looking at me, with those curious big eyes of hers.

"Mam-mam."

If I thought I was emotional before, I was ten times worse afterward.

"BABY!" I laughed through my tears, "Did you just call me mama? That's right baby… I'm your mama," I admitted to her, and more than that, I admitted to myself.

Hadley and Alcide were gone, Jessica was still here, and she needed her mama. I was her mama, and she seemed to think so too.

"Jessica! You just walked!" I snapped out of my melancholy mood instantly and realized what she'd done. "Oh, honey! We haven't broken you! You can walk!" I said, snatching her up into the air as she just laughed at me. "Oh my goodness, you are such a good girl! Who's a good girl!"

As soon as the words left my mouth, Eric walked through the door, bags in hand.

"Oh my God, Eric!" I said excitedly.

"What? What's wrong?"

"No! Nothing... Jessica is such a big girl!"

"Oh God, did she poo in the bath again?"

"No! She walked! She took actual steps not holding onto anything!"

He smiled, and it got wider as she held her arms out for him to take her.

"You did? You walked! I didn't break you!"

"I know, right? That's what I was thinking!" We were both smiling, beaming, really.

"I'm sorry I missed it," he said, his smile faltering slightly.

"Me too," I sympathized before I remembered, "Guess what else she did?"

"What?" He smiled back at me as he walked ahead into the kitchen, letting Jessica down to crawl and maybe attempt more steps. I was practically bouncing next to him.

"She called me mama! Well, she called me mam-mum, but I got her point! Eric, she actually likes me!" I said excitedly bouncing.

He just laughed. "Well, Sookie I'm happy for you, really. It's been a while comin'," he said hugging me as I hugged him back just as tightly. He looked at me as we slowly pulled apart and I had to fight the urge to give in to the shiver that ran down my spine. And I could have sworn he smelled my hair.

"So!" I pulled myself out of it, "What's the costume?"

"Nope, not telling you," he said as he went to the fridge and I attempted to peek in the bag.

"Come on, Eric!"

"No. Though, you can see Jessica's."

"You got Jessica a costume?"

"Yeah. She likes to watch it so who knows, she might like to wear it? If she doesn't, it's no big deal."

I pulled out the little black costume. It was Count Von Count from Sesame Street—little black cape, pink ears and little felt stick on teeth that we both knew she wouldn't allow. Basically, the kid would look like a gay Vulcan.

"Interesting."

"She likes him. Plus, I think she'd make a cute baby vampire," he mused. "What's your costume?"

"What I don't get to see yours but you want to see mine?"

"I'd always like to see yours," he said suggestively.

"You're evil."

"No, just a man."

"An evil man," I sassed.

He rolled his eyes.

"So, uh, is Sam coming to the party? Oh God, you aren't doing that matching match-y thing are you? That's so lame."

He tried to make it sound casual, I'll give him that.

"No, he isn't and no, we'd never do that."

"Oh. Why?"

"Well, like you said, it's lame."

"No… why's he not coming?"

"Oh, right. He has a medical conference in Chicago so… he's not going to be able to make it."

"Oh. Didn't he have a conference on your birthday, too?"

"Yes, so?"

"No, nothing. I was just… it's just a little odd."

"It's not odd, Eric. He is a doctor and he does teach too, you know?"

"Yeah, once every few months when the _real_ lecturer is out," he mumbled.

"I heard that."

"Well, I said it loud."

"Eric…God, I really thought you'd gotten over your imaginary issues with Sam."

"I have."

"Uh huh."

"No, really. It's fine if you're happy, then that's … fine. How are things with you and—"

"Sam."

"Sam, though I still call him Doctor Douche in my head, just so you know." He grinned.

"I thought you might. Things are good."

"Still as 'nice' as ever, I assume."

"What's wrong with nice? You've met Bill. Can't you see why 'nice' is a necessity for me right now?"

He nodded, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl and taking a sizable bite.

"I can see why. I mean, after that bastard, I'm shocked you didn't like … turn to lesbianism or something." I smiled, thankful we'd both not heard from Bill since and he was able to joke about it now, having walked on eggshells around me for days. "But, I don't know, he's not the only nice guy out there, Sook. Maybe find one you have actual chemistry with. Or you know, actual things in common with, for example."

"Eric, I swear you and I have this discussion a lot… And for the record, Sam and I do have things in common."

He quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Such as?"

"We…" And I'll admit it was a slight struggle to think of something. I hated how easily Eric could bait me. "We both like trying new restaurants for fun; we both like the countryside in summertime; we're big fans of Stephen King novels and we both flip to the back to see how they end first. And we both—"

"Okay, as riveting as this is Sookie, you're describing things you and a million other people have in common. It's not really helping your cause."

"Well, neither is you being nosy and not minding your own business."

He just rolled his eyes, again.

"You know, one of these days your eyes are going to roll right out of your sockets."

"Yours too," he sassed.

Ugh... God, I hated when we got into a bantering match. It really was exhausting.

"Anyway, I have to get Jessica ready."

"Why?"

"I'm meeting Sam for an early dinner and all she ate at lunch were her tiny pieces of chicken. She'll need something else soon, so I figured I'd take her with me."

"Oh? Well, I'm here now, so if you want to just leave her with me. I could make her … us, something. I'm actually pretty hungry."

"It's why girls stop to have coffee or eat during our shopping trips. It's hungry work."

"Okay, Joan Rivers."

"Seriously, Eric. A little less _E!, _okay?"

He looked bashful before hiding behind his 'searching the fridge' routine.

I picked Jessica up and sat her on the island where she promptly started grabbing at the grapes in the fruit bowl.

"You sure? I mean, I know it's early but he's on call so…"

"Yeah, it's fine. We have fun don't we, Jessica? She's being schooled in the art of ninja warfare and also knife throwing. We really have a blast."

I glared at him.

"You know I'm kidding," he said, picking her up as we walked through to the living room. "We start with darts, _then_ knives."

"Funny," I deadpanned.

"Sook, go. Have dinner with Doctor Boring, Jessica and I will be fine. We have a date with Elmo soon anyway."

I ran upstairs and changed into a less messy dress and low heels. It was just a casual dinner. Since we hadn't see each other in a week, we decided to touch base a little bit. Talking on the phone was great and all, but wasn't ideal. He'd been super busy at work too, just like I had. His secretary was on maternity leave and the new girl was a mess. Apparently, he'd spent the better part of the week undoing all her mistakes. I felt his pain, considering who I was working with, and I use the term 'working' very loosely, since all Sophie tended to do was ruin everyone else's work.

We greeted each other with a quick peck on the cheek and we got right into conversation. It was obvious he was tired and overworked. That, and there was an illness that spread among the grade school that week that had left almost an entire class of second graders sick and popping into the neighborhood pediatrician. Since the area was so small, it meant it was just Sam. It was a choice between him and the ER, and apparently most parents had chosen him. He was in need of some serious sleep.

"I'm sorry to be missing the party. It sounds like you guys will have a blast though."

"Yeah, it's great you know. Just getting together and dressing up, acting a fool. I mean, for Amelia this is pretty much an everyday occurrence but… for the rest of us…." I laughed causing him to laugh too. "I am sorry you're missing it. I mean, we already missed my birthday and it might have been nice if we could have done this together..."

Stupid Eric planting his stupid thoughts in my stupid head.

"Sookie, I told you it's been on the cards for weeks. I totally forgot about it being Halloween, and with us being grown ups, I didn't really think it would be a holiday we'd be fighting over."

"You think it's juvenile?"

"A little. I mean, come on, we're not kids. We're not in high school anymore. It's a little … odd."

"Lots of people party on Halloween. It's fun."

"I'm sure it is, and I am sorry I won't get to see you in your costume." He smiled. "But really, I can't cancel."

"I get it, I do, I just… we're both so busy. It seems like work is all we do."

"So quit and come with me? We can make a weekend of it," he suggested with a grin as we waited on our food.

"I can't just quit, and besides, I have Jessica to worry about now and can't just up and leave. Are you really sure you can't just skip it?"

He sighed and yes, I knew I was pushing it. But it had really irked me a little and I wanted to see why he'd be so unwilling to even want to have fun with me, and to finally meet my friends.

"Sookie, you know I can't. There are a lot of important people there that help my career, as well as the practice. It's just too important to skip for some silly party. What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," I reasoned. "It's just Eric and I were talking before and well, he pointed out—"

"_Eric..." _he sighed again, this time more weary. "Of course."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just … Sook, I'd like us to have one date, one conversation even, that didn't involve Eric Northman."

"He's a huge part of my life now, Sam. Did you forget he's like my partner? I can't just omit him from my life—"

"Partner? Interesting choice of words." He smirked but it was tinged with bitterness.

"Meaning?"

"You know what I mean."

"And YOU know what I mean. He's my partner in raising Jessica."

"And that's what you meant?"

"What else would I mean?" I countered her his shoddily veiled accusation.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"Cut the passive-aggressive bullshit, Sam. Say what you want to say."

He put down his knife and fork and spoke evenly.

"I just… I'm sick of it. I'm sick of him and his attitude and I'm sick of hearing about him, every day. I'm not dating him, Sookie, I'm dating you. And yeah, I get that he's a big part of your life, but he's not a part of mine."

"I see," I said clipped.

"Look, don't get mad at me okay? I'm just being honest."

"He's been nicer to you. Well, he's been trying at least." I argued, and for Eric, I mean, it really was an improvement.

"Right, and why's that? So he can impress you, because we both know what he really wants."

Oh, no he did not just go there.

"And what exactly would that be? Oh wait, I know... Me, right? Or just sex, with me!"

"Sookie."

"No! Say it, Sam. Just say it. I'd like to know what you really think of this situation!" I was getting more pissed off at him by the second.

"Fine. I think it's unhealthy. I think you two are playing this little game of happy family and ultimately it's going to blow up in your faces."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. You two argue constantly; there's _always _some problem or something that needs fixing; he's out every weekend, with God knows who, to then come back to you and the kid; and you're coming to me and we're in this relationship but it's not just you and me. It's you, me, and Eric. Because it seems he matters more to you—his opinions, his ideas, his dealings with Jessica everyday—it all matters more to you than actually being in the present and spending quality time with me. You're here in body, Sookie, but you're mind is elsewhere. Your mind is with him. And... I'm sick of it."

"You're sick of it? It's my life, it's part of the package, Sam. Jessica, not 'the kid'—she's not a goat—is my package now, and you know what? Eric is her dad now and he's in my life. He's helping me live this life and I thought you were, too. It took some adjusting, yes, but we're in this together and I thought you were part of the team. Now you mean that it's what? Been bothering you for how long? Are you sick of it, Sam, or sick of _me, _because I'd really like to know? Maybe save us both from wasting anymore time here."

"Look, don't be like that. You asked me to tell you what I was thinking and this is what I'm thinking. I'm sorry if you think I mean I'm sick of you because I'm not. Sook, I love where this relationship is at and maybe where we're going. I don't want to change that, I just want our relationship to be about US for a change."

"Are you serious right now?"

"Look Sookie, I don't want to fight about this, okay?"

"Well, tough, we are fighting about this. You want to be an 'us' yet every time I've asked you, you don't want to meet my friends or hang out with us. You don't want to try and smooth things over with Eric, and you don't want to attend my 'juvenile' Halloween party. It's a little hypocritical don't you think?" I was fuming.

"No, I don't. What I do is work. This is your personal life—changes can be made."

Oh that was it.

"Right, sure. Change one, we're done here."

"Sookie, you're overreacting."

"Maybe I am, but how the hell did you expect me to act. You just expect me to change my personal life to suit your work life? I don't think so, Sam Merlotte."

"I'm not saying everything has to change. I love little Jessica, you know that. I just meant… less of Eric."

And wouldn't you know it, his ring tone went off! I had given him 'Single Ladies' as a private joke, which not even Eric knew about, but it made me smile.

Sam just rolled his eyes.

"I have to get this."

"Of course you do." He went back to eating.

"Hello?" I asked, turning to the side to avoid Sam's gaze.

"Hey, listen I can't find her diapers and a we have a bit of a situation over here… did you move them?"

"Yeah, when I was cleaning. They're in the fourth drawer of her little dresser—more fit in there; it makes more sense."

"Oh." I heard him juggling the phone with what I assumed was Jessica in his other hand. "Cool. Date going well?"

"Not really," I sighed, knowing Sam wouldn't have heard his question.

"Bad time?"

"Something like that. Look is that everything?"

"Uh, yeah, you sound stressed. Is he being a dick? Want me to kick his ass? Please say yes." I could hear him grinning and I fought a smile.

"Bye, Eric." I disconnected. "Diaper emergency."

He nodded.

I sighed. I was beyond frustrated with the entire thing. I really needed to unwind and just forget all my damn problems.

"Sam. I think you and I need to take a few steps back."

"Sookie, I'm sorry. Look, this was a stupid fight and it's not even worth the breath arguing about it. I'll get over it, deal with it, whatever."

"No. I just, you had valid points, but so did I. And it seems you're back peddling now, when before, neither of us was willing to change. That's an issue. I think we need to take some time and think about where things are going."

"Sookie, don't be like this, please? We can work it out."

"Maybe we can but for right now, I need to think and breathe, and I can't do that here."

"So that's it? Just like that, we're done?"

Was it fair just to give up so quickly because I didn't like a few of his opinions? I wasn't sure.

"No. We're not done, not yet anyway... But if we're going to be together Sam, we're going to have to find a place for one other in each other's lives … and to do that, I think we need a break. Just for a little while, till we're both on the same page about what we want."

"I know what I want. I want you."

But did I want him? I think deep down I knew the answer. I was just scared to dig at it.

"Well for right now, I'm not sure what I want."

Having gone to Tara's for a little female bitching, as well as some moral support and a side of party planning, I got home that night to find Jessica still up. It was past ten thirty, and it surprised me since Eric was such a pro at getting her to sleep before nine. I heard him talking to her in the den as I stood by the door.

"Now, just so you know, I'm sure Cinderella was great girl and all, but that whole happily ever after thing? Total myth. I mean, Charming seems like a lovely two dimensional little guy, but you know they barely know each other and they're off getting married? Promise me you won't do that; meet some random guy—royal or not—and just shack up in some castle somewhere … Seriously, Prince or not I'll kick his ass."

I smiled at a life lesson only Eric could give her. I walked in to find them both sitting side by side on the couch. Both in their underwear and not much else. She was in her diaper and a vest and he was in his boxers and his white tank top. What the hell happened?

"Uh, hi," I said and they both looked up at me.

"Hi," Eric said, followed by a very animated, "Hiii," from Jessica.

"What happened here?"

"Oh, like I said, diaper emergency. I think she's sick."

"Oh, God, no."

"Mmmhm. She doesn't have a fever or anything, but Sookie … someone that small should not shit that much. I mean, where does it come from?"

I laughed, lifting her up on my lap to sit next to him. She cuddled into my boobs instantly.

"What did you feed her?"

"We just had some spaghetti and salad … mostly she ate the meat and the shells, I ate the salad."

"Seems fine. What did she drink?"

"She had orange juice in her sippy cup."

Ah, there we go.

"Yeah, oranges make her explode. I thought I told you about what happened when I gave her juice before we went to the park? Nightmare. There was you know what, everywhere."

"Oh shi— crap."

"_Mmhmm."_

"It was unreal. It was everywhere and then it got on me and it was just … so wrong. So we took a shower. Well, I stood her in the shower and hosed her down. She loves the water but now I think it's perked her right up. She wouldn't go to sleep at all.

We spent the next half hour in relative silence. It was calm, it was necessary, and Jessica fell asleep still holding onto the strap of my bra through my top. The calm and serene nature of the night was the calm before the massively horrible storm the next night.

"Jessica, baby please? Come on, just lay down for me and sleep, okay?"

Nothing, she was still crying. It was eleven thirty-eight and I'd been trying since eight o'clock to get her down with no success. She'd been fine most of the day—her nap had been shorter than normal—but other than that, she seemed her happy self. When it came to bedtime, however, it was another story completely. She wouldn't take her bottle, she wouldn't lie down, and the newest trick was when she realized she could take off her own diaper.

_Nightmare._

I had taken to putting on her little pyjama bottoms that snapped into a one piece sleep suit just to keep her from picking at the tabs. I had tried lullabies, pop songs, rock songs and even some rap. Though I was just thankful the house was empty and my rendition of _Baby Got Back _wasn't witnessed by anyone other than an un-amused Jessica. Nothing worked, and she'd started her little sob/cry an hour later. It was now two hours later and she was tired, she was cranky and she was still sobbing. I had changed her, burped her and rocked her. Nothing and I mean nothing was working.

I was exhausted, to say the least. Having been up since six for work, Sophie had decided to redecorate my—I mean HER—office and I needed to be there to let the decorators in at seven. Two more staff quit, leaving us short a server which meant between my office work, fixing her messes and doing my regular job, I had to fill in for tables eight, nine and eleven for the dinner rush. I got home just as Eric was heading off to work. I was so thankful he had the sense to make dinner and have Jessica fed for me. I had managed to tidy up the living room and start on some paperwork, while I hoped Jess would tire herself out crawl-walking around the living room with her toys, as I kept an eye out. But no, she was still up and bright-eyed by the time I was ready for my grave. It was almost as if she knew that I was wrecked and decided to whine.

By twelve thirty, my eyelids were slowly drooping as she and I laid on my bed—lights were dimmed, there was silence, it was perfect—only she was still softly crying to herself.

I was all out of ideas and I was slowly losing my mind. You would, too, if you had to listen to a baby cry for two hours without a break and no idea how to make it stop.

"Jessica, please just tell me what to do and I'll do it? Okay? _Please?"_

All I got was her little red face, her tear filled eyes and a mumbled "mum-ma," before the sobbing started again.

A whole manner of things shot through my head that could have been wrong. I thought she was sick—but I'd taken her temperature and it was fine; I'd checked her diaper and she was fine; she was fed; she had her bottle she didn't want; and she didn't seem ill. If there was a reason for the crying, I couldn't find it. Illogical as it was, I swore she had realized I was going to be a terrible mother and just didn't want me anymore. Yeah, crazy right? Again, I'd been up after a long, extremely busy day, and had a sobbing child for hours on end. I was feeling a little insane.

Then I thought she knew. She knew why I'd be a terrible mother.

It was why Bill had called me 'broken.' It was why, for a long time, I had viewed myself as such and made the mistake of telling him that was how I felt. I was going to be a mother, once. But everything got screwed up …

By one a.m. Jessica's sob had fallen into a full on wail and I was still none the wiser. I'd taken to crying right along with her on the couch in the living room when Eric came in, instantly freaked out to see us both up that late.

"What happened? Sookie?" he asked looking from Jessica to me, before he picked her up and felt her forehead.

"I … failed at life, Eric," I answered in a small voice, since sheer exhaustion and emotional upheaval had drained me so completely.

"What happened?"

"She just _won't _stop crying. I have done everything, and I mean every _damn_ thing I know how to do to make it stop and it just won't stop. I think I'm losing my mind."

"Okay, okay, just shh. Stop crying okay, Sookie? I can't deal with crying women, least of all _two_ crying women. Okay, so… just… is she ill?"

"No. No temp, no soggy diaper, no obvious headache or other signs of distress. Believe me Eric, Google and I have been over everything she could be going through and nothing is working. She hates me. She knows what I did, and she hates me."

"Wh—…What did you do?" he asked taking off his jacket while balancing the baby.

"I killed my baby."

"What?" he asked, clearly freaked out. I tried to blink away my tiredness and stop my silent sobs as I told him how I got pregnant in high school, but once my boyfriend Quinn found out, he dumped me. Being alone and unable to tell anyone else but Tara, I decided I couldn't keep the baby. We went to Shreveport to have it termination. I was seventeen, stupid and alone. I didn't know what else to do. Only, I had a change of heart; I couldn't do it. I couldn't go through with it and I'd decided I was going to keep the baby on the way to the hospital. But that's when IT happened. Literally seconds after I'd told Tara killing my baby would be a mistake, that I'd make a good mom no matter how old I was, the truck on the other side of us swerved. Their tires blew out and they hit our car, smashing the windshield, causing us to slam into a wall. There was major damage done—Tara had a broken leg and arm, I had two broken fingers, a screwed up wrist, and my baby was gone. Part of the trauma had made me miscarry, and the doctors told me it would be highly unlikely, to near impossible, that I'd ever conceive another child. I was broken because I'd planned on killing my baby that God knew to take from me because of what a horrible mother I'd make.

I sobbed harder then, fully wallowing in my grief. Eric just held me in one arm as he held Jessica in the other, both of us still crying.

"Okay. Come on, come with me," he said gently, taking my hand and leading me up the stairs. I was so tired and emotional I would have gone anywhere he led me. We ended up in his bedroom. He turned off all his lights besides the one dim lamp in the corner and told me he was going to try something to get her to calm down. He laid down on his bed and made her lay on his chest, her tiny eyes still looking at me with what I saw as judgment, and he started to hum. Loud deep rumbles from his chest, but he was just humming. Then it fell in tune with a Rolling Stones song that I loved.

It took her a few minutes, but eventually she stopped her whine-sob-cry and started to listen, or feel the vibrations. I wasn't sure which. But either way she'd stopped crying.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered. "You're the baby whisperer."

I was standing beside his big bed, and I probably looked a mess—my hair scraped back, tears down my face. I was beyond dead tired. Still, he smiled and grabbed my hand, yanking me towards the bed.

"Lay down, Sookie. Sleep."

"No, I…" I couldn't even protest. I just crawled in next to him and Jess, who was now silent and looking at me with kinder eyes that were slowly telling me she was drifting off to sleep.

I scooted close to Eric as he wrapped his arm around me, letting my head rest on the small space left on his chest, as he continued to hum.

"I'll just lay here for a minute," I promised.

"Take as many minutes as you need," he whispered in the dim room. His humming not only relaxed Jessica; I was feeling a lot less frazzled myself.

"Thank you, Eric."

"You're welcome… oh, and Sookie…?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're not broken, not by a long shot. And you're not a bad mother. Not even close. You're a good person. We just need a little help sometimes, that's all."

I was silent because I was close to tears again, only this time for a different reason. Instead, I snuggled closer to him and let him, the words from his humming song, clear my head.

Sometimes you can't get what you want… but sometimes, you get what you need.

And more than anything that night, I had needed Eric just as much, it seemed, as Jessica did. Little did I know, less than twenty-four hours later he and I would be indulging in a 'want' and 'need' of a very different nature.

Somehow my Halloween party ended up with a fairy fucking a vampire.

Can you guess _who?_

**A/N: Annnnd we're back! This chapter accidentally turned out to be all in SPOV, but we'll be hearing from both of them next chapter. I felt the need to get the angst out of the way as well as clearing up a few things people had been wondering about too, so I hope you liked it! If you did, put a ring on it… I mean hit the review button ;) **


	20. Chapter 20

**EPOV:**

I was tired, that much was clear to me. Having such a mixed-up schedule thanks to Sophie-Ann messing Sookie's hours about constantly, meant my hours were messed around too. While things had been a lot calmer between Sookie and me in previous weeks, there was always that underlying tension that we both knew was there but refused to acknowledge. We were ignoring the kiss—as if it never happened—and honestly, it was such bullshit. But I went along with it because talking to her peacefully was better than not talking to her and having weird angry vibes floating around us forever.

I'd still been living under the pretense that I was seeing other people, date night was Saturday night when all it was, was extra work and maybe sleeping at the office - night. Did it make me chicken shit? Of course it did. But, it was all in the pretense that things were fine. Things weren't fine.

Pam was pissed at me since my mind wasn't 'in the game' anymore. She was picking up my slack at work, leaving me as the paperwork slave stuck in the office most of the time. I loved being on the floor, being part of the atmosphere—meeting the customers, talking, flirting—it's what I did well and I knew it. Pam knew it too, but apparently, my drowned cat routine was doing no one any favors and making the bar look bad. Or so she said. So, I was relegated to the office for my crimes. Really, there were times when I questioned who was boss here, me or _Pam._

When I got home that night to find Sookie a mess on the couch with a sobbing red-faced Jessica beside her, my first thought was that the baby was ill. Turns out she was just being a baby and needing to cry, since neither of us could find anything wrong with her. It led me to be more worried about Sookie, if I was honest. There was nothing worse than that constant whiny cry coming from a baby when you couldn't do a thing to stop it. I understood her frustrations, but it wasn't until she told me why she was thinking what she was thinking that I understood her sadness, as well as that fear of never being good enough for Jessica. Suddenly it all made sense, at least a little, though how someone could take that knowledge of what happened to her and use it against her as an insult like Bill had—well, it was despicable. As a last ditch attempt at getting Jessica to sleep, I tried an old trick my dad used to do with me—or so my mother would tell me. Humming. It had worked weeks before when she was cranky and wouldn't nap, so I tried it again with the same amazing result. She was quiet and Sookie was stunned. Sookie looked so lost and dejected that the idea of any of us sleeping alone that night didn't sit well with me. It wasn't about sex, it wasn't about wanting to kiss her—though those two things were definitely on a 'want' list—no, this was simply about comforting her the best way I knew how. So I took her into my arms and into my bed as I continued to hum. Feeling her relax in my arms, as well as seeing that Jessica was drifting off to sleep, were the two biggest accomplishments of my day. They were my girls, whether they knew it or not. They were my family and this was one family I was determined not to screw up.

I had finally caved and called my mother, thankfully and not all that shockingly, I got her voicemail. I told her what was going on and if she wanted, we could talk sometime. I'd called Niall right afterward, and he was a little shocked—and rightly so. Lots of questions were asked, but he seemed to understand the situation, promising as always, to calm my mother down from the rafters if she went off on one of her rants. My mother liked to rant. We blamed it on her English upbringing, and we also blamed my blunt nature on her, too. The woman never ceased to say what she thought, and it got her into more trouble than not.

I'd woken up again around six a.m., finding both girls still sound asleep. I managed to pull myself from a very cozy bed and showered. I had hoped to shower when I got in from work, but other things took over. The shower did very little to wake me up since I was running on five hours sleep, so I just crawled back into bed again. Jessica was between Sookie and I, her hand twisted in Sookie's hair—she liked to twirl her hair, we couldn't figure out why either. I must have fallen asleep again because I was woken up with warm breath in my face—Jessica's breath. I opened my eyes to see nothing but her face, right up against my face.

"Hi, Dada," she said sweetly, standing on my bed both her hands on both my cheeks, curiously looking into my face.

"Hi," I said grabbing her to sit her down. I spied Sookie, awake and suppressing a giggle.

"She's been standing over you for like five minutes. She couldn't understand why you weren't talking to her."

"You feeling better?" I asked Sookie.

"Much. Thank you again for… whatever magic that was with her last night." I knew how screwed I was when a wrecked Sookie, with her hair sticking out all over the place was still beautiful to me.

"Anytime."

"Hopefully she won't pull that again, but I hold little hope. I'm really sorry I freaked on you, Eric."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. I was a mess and I'm sorry you had to hear my stupid sob story… and God only knows you must think you're living with a complete head case… I just…"

"I don't. For the record. Sookie, everyone has a past, and it was a horrible thing that happened to you and something you're obviously still holding onto. But, I don't think you're broken. If anything, walking away from that proves to me how strong you are."

"Even if I can't have kids?"

"Even if you can't have kids," I agreed. "There are a thousand other ways to go about being a mother, Sookie. I mean, look at her." I motioned to Jessica. "Yes, you didn't give birth to her but you are now, and will always be, her mom. You're raising her, just like if you wanted to, you could raise more kids—kids who don't have parents. You could get a surrogate, you could foster… I mean, just because they told you it might not be possible the old fashioned way doesn't mean shi—" I stopped myself, remembering our company who was now holding onto the headboard and bouncing on the bed.

"Thank you… I keep saying it, but, I really do mean it. I don't know what I would have done without you last night," she said sincerely before she ran her hand down my arm. The gesture was probably meant as a pat, or an acknowledgement of her thanks but all it served to do was give me goosebumps. And thinking that all I wanted to do was kiss her. Bad idea, Northman.

So as I tried to will my morning wood to cease, I simply accepted her thank you and bolted from the bed.

"I'm gonna … go… the …" I pointed out my door.

"The bathroom?" she offered.

"Yes. The … I'll be right back."

Smooth, so smooth.

It had been weeks since I'd had any kind of sexual satisfaction so I was like a teenage boy all over again. The littlest, most stupid thing was getting me turned on, it was so not acceptable. I mean, all she did was run her fingers down my arm, for fucks sake. This was getting ridiculous. I wanted her, and I was pretty sure she thought I was hot—hell she told me she thought I was hot—and she kissed me back. She can ignore it all she wants but she wanted me to kiss her in my office as much as I did. That has to count for something right? Then why couldn't I just stop being a chicken shit and make my move?

Sometimes I wanted to slap myself for being such a damn idiot. There was a hot girl in my bed looking all cosy, and warm and soft and faceable and what was I doing? Whacking off alone.

_Classy_.

Five years ago this would never have happened… of course, there wouldn't have been a baby either, but that's not the point. My point was, I was done being a douche. Things were going to change, and they were damn well going to change soon.

**SPOV:**

Waking up next to Eric was odd, but also not entirely uncomfortable. His bed helped this feeling I suspected. So big, so cozy, and it smelled like Eric and fabric softener.

It was comforting.

As was he the night before. When I told him I didn't know what I would have done without him, I really did mean it.

Jessica was like a new baby. Gone was the whine monster from the night before only to be replaced with giggles and smiles. It was odd, but something I wouldn't question.

I'd managed a morning run on the treadmill before I got myself showered—after Eric returned from his mysterious trip to the bathroom—and our day began all over again. I had work for a few hours, then the party to prepare for. It was never anything fancy since my apartment was so small and my neighbors were such whiny bitches. This year though, Tara wanted to go all out, and I couldn't say I blamed her since we had a huge house to work with this time. I trusted her decorating skills not to fail me. I returned home after four to find no one but Tara and Amelia in the living room hanging 'spider webs' on the ceiling.

"Hey?"

"Oh, hey! Eric let us in. I hope you don't mind," Tara said with a smile.

"Of course, I mind. We have a 'no bitches' before six rule. Sorry."

"Bitch," she said still smiling.

"Tara, you will help me clean this shit up, right?"

"Of course, don't I always?" She did, I'll give her that.

"I have some bad news guys."

"What?" they both asked, stopping what they were doing.

"Sophie's coming to the party."

"WHAT?" Tara yelled and Amelia just rolled her eyes.

"I know, I'm sorry but she heard me on the phone ordering the drinks and the catering and she sort of invited herself. I'm sorry. I tried to put her off… but…"

"Well that bitch can just un-invite herself…" Amelia spoke up finally.

"Ames, I can't do that. She's hard enough to work with as it is."

"I wouldn't know. She fired me."

Still a sore spot.

"I thought you liked working for Eric?"

"I do," she admitted. "I really do. I just … she's still a bitch. I can still hate her, and I miss you guys."

"We miss you too, but it's still good at Eric's, right?"

"Yeah, I mean it's great. The staff is wonderful and so friendly." I could have sworn she blushed. "And Eric, he's a really great boss. Not that you weren't great, Sookie." She smiled. "But he's just very chilled and very Zen about everything and it shows."

"Where is the Zen master?" I asked.

"He's getting Jessica ready for trick-or-treating," Ames commented.

I clapped my hands and she looked at me oddly.

"Oh, good! I didn't miss it then! I have to get the camera."

Sue me. It was her first trick-or-treating, I was excited.

"Sookie, you sure have changed."

"What? It's a milestone."

"She's one. You know she won't even be able to eat most of the damn candy," Tara continued.

Yeah, I knew that.

"I think it's mostly so Eric can get free candy."

"But we have candy here?" Amelia pointed out.

"Yep, but apparently it's 'not the same.' I don't know what his deal is."

"His deal is, it's fun..." I heard from the staircase. Down came a very dishevelled looking Eric and a little baby vampire Jessica with her pacifier in her mouth—only it wasn't her regular passy. This one had cartoon vampire teeth on it. He really had thought of everything. Her little cape and ears were too adorable.

"Hi baby!" I said taking her from him for a closer look. "So, not so much gay Vulcan. She actually looks like the Count."

"What? You doubted my costume picking skills? Have you met Pam?"

Again, Amelia blushed. What the hell…?

"No… well, kind of. I mean, what are you, a homeless guy?"

"No! I'm a …" He turned around in a circle to face us again this time with skinny vampire teeth in. "I'm a vampire. Brad Pitt circa Interview with the Vampire. Not that sparkling, glittering whatever that they have now." He kind of did look the part. He had makeup on which made him look pale and red rimmed eyes. While his hair wasn't as long as Brad's, he had gone for the dishevelled scruffy look, and his clothes matched well with the time period. They too were all scuffed up. He looked good; he looked hot.

"So, Sook, what's your costume?" Eric asked, for the millionth time that day.

"She's a fairy!" Amelia shouted from the kitchen coming in with a diet coke.

"Thank you, Ames." I rolled by eyes. I wasn't going to tell him till I had it on, but there went that plan.

"What? He's going to see it. I got it for her since she's been so busy."

"I hate it by the way."

"Blah blah, _blah_…" Amelia mocked me. "It's hot and you'll look hot in it, trust me, Tinks."

"So, you're Tinkerbell? How cute." He teased.

"Shut up, I have food to cook." I kissed Jessica and gave her back to Eric. "Don't leave till I get a picture."

"Yes, Ma'am." He smirked.

They left after many cheesy photo opportunities were taken, with all of us jumping in for a group shot. Jessica, it seemed, was a ham for the camera.

It had taken the three of us well over a couple of hours to organize everything. Well that, and gossip. Eric had taken Jessica over to see Pam so she could see Jessica's costume before Maxine agreed to babysit her. She said she and her husband were more dinner party people but hoped we'd have fun. She was really a sweet woman, a little nosy, but sweet.

"Okay, we have hot food, we have sandwiches—if Amelia would stop eating them," I pointed out. "We have chips and dip, we have so much alcohol it could sink a ship… I think we're good."

"And you just walked out?" Ames asked, since we were mid-conversation about Sam.

"Yeah, I mean, I didn't know what else to say. He agreed we should take some time and reassess everything and see where we're headed. I just … I thought he understood what part Eric played in this whole thing by now, that's all."

"And that part would be?" Tara dragged out.

"Jessica's dad."

"And that's it?"

"Well, who else's dad would he be?"

"No, Sookie, I mean is that all that's going on here. You two seem to have gotten real... _comfortable_ with each other lately."

"We live together. It was bound to happen eventually," I shrugged.

"What was?" Amelia wriggled her brows.

"Oh my God, you two, seriously. Get your heads out of the gutter please? Nothing like that is going on. If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times. Eric and I, we're just … not that way."

"God, how do you do it, or not do it? He's all hot and topless just swanning around being all hot. Really, if I were you, I'd have jumped him months ago," Amelia commented. "And besides, Eric really, really needs to get laid."

I scoffed.

"What? Because once a week with someone new—every week might, I add—isn't good enough for him?"

"What?" Amelia asked, looking very confused.

"He has a date every week, without fail, and it doesn't take a genius to guess what he's up to on those dates, Ames. Really."

"No, he doesn't."

"Yes, he does. He goes out on Saturday nights and comes home Sunday morning. He told me he's _dating._"

"Um, Sookie, are you sure? Because well, I work most Saturday nights… and Eric is always at work. He sleeps in his office."

What the hell?

Before I could answer, Jessica and Eric came through the door with a big bag full of what I assumed was her candy. Or should I say his?

She was covered in chocolate.

Poor Maxine.

I snapped myself out of the shock of Amelia's revelation to focus on Jessica.

"So, how'd it go?"

"She made bank. They loved her cause she's far too adorable. Oh and mountains of free candy—some of which she's had—but we had actual food at Pam's. So don't worry, she's fed," he said holding up the bag of candy.

"Well, I'm very happy for you, and your free candy."

He just smiled like a giant overgrown man-child. A man-child who was lying to me. For months.

**EPOV:**

Jessica's costume was a hit, and it seems some of the moms, kind of thought mine was a hit, too. I'd spent most of the time explaining who I was in costume, and who and what Jessica was. They were won over though, and I might have flirted a little bit. I couldn't understand my free candy obsession anymore than the next person. It just tasted better when it was free- it always had.

Of course, Pam loved Jessica's outfit. She squeezed herself into a leather Cat Woman costume and mocked mine for making me look like homeless Joe who lives on the interstate.

Guests started arriving after nine, and since we were Jessica-free for the night, we'd all started drinking around eight thirty. The party was in full swing by ten, everyone dancing around the house, or talking in corners—all drinking, snacking and generally happy. I was well on my way to buzzed when Amelia and I got to talking. She was a cool chick, and she seemed to make Pam more … well, less dramatic, which was always welcomed.

"So you still haven't told her?" I asked Amelia once we were out in the hallway alone.

"No. Look, it's not just something you bring up, okay? I need the right time."

"But if you and Pam are still together, and you are, right?"

"Yeah."

"And it's dating? Or…"

"Mostly sex. But we have dinner twice a week, which I guess is dating?"

For Pam, that was dating.

"She's happy," I admitted to her, "when she talks about you. She tries to hide it but I know her too well, and she's happy… you make her happy. I want you to be that happy too, and you won't be until your friends know the truth."

She nodded in agreement. "I could say the same thing about you, though. Lying to Sookie like that for all this time?"

"What?"

"Date night? She thinks you're out screwing around every week when in reality, you're working your ass off in the bar. What the hell, Eric?"

Oh, that.

"Look, she can think what she likes about me and she thinks I'm a whore, so why not let her just … think it?"

"You know why… Because, Pam told me what happened on her birthday. I'm pissed Sookie didn't tell me… but I get it. I'm guessing things changed?"

"No, things just got awkward for awhile. She's still with Sam so what does it matter? I've tried showing her I'm not this horrible guy and it doesn't work. She still wants him."

"Not really…"

"What do you mean?"

"They're sort of on the outs. Well, I mean they're on a 'break' right now. Apparently, he doesn't get her life and she's mad, and I think she's going to dump him so…"

"Something tells me you shouldn't be telling me this?"

"Maybe not, but I thought you should know. It might sway any decisions you might have been wanting to make…"

I smiled.

"We'll see."

"Don't leave it too long now, ya hear?" she winked at me before making her way back to Pam, both of them still pretending to be the best of 'friends'.

Just as Amelia walked away, Sophie-Ann came sauntering up. She dressed as a queen for the occasion—her air of snobbery befitting her costume.

"Eric Northman, it's been a long time."

"Hi, Sophie."

"Hi yourself. Now, I knew Sookie was playing house, but I had no idea she was playing house with you. Color me shocked. I never saw you as the paternal type."

"Well, people change."

"That they do." She looked me up and down. "Where is the little rugrat?"

"Jessica," I corrected her, "Is with her babysitter for the night."

"Oh... so, you're off duty, then?

"Something like that." I drained the last of my beer.

"Care to give me a tour of this amazing house then, Eric?" she asked as subtle as a brick with her arm on my bicep.

"Not right now, Sophie. There's a party going on."

"So? This is Sookie's little shindig, no one will miss us…"

"No."

"You sure?" She pouted, and I looked behind her to find Sookie standing at the other end of the hall. The costume was amazing. She clearly wouldn't have chosen it herself. It was far too short for even Sookie to consider. But it was beautiful. Her dress was a dark shimmering green cut out in a pixie style with skinny straps that matched the color of her shoes—a silver tone—with a lighter green mesh over the top. She'd worn pixie ears and her hair up to show them off. As comical as it all was, she looked sexy as hell.

"Uh, Eric?" she asked unsure of what was going on. I knew by the look on her face she was shocked to see Sophie and I so… close. Even though I hated her with every fiber of my being, Sophie and I did know each other, briefly. I'd met her at a party Pam had thrown a few years before. I hadn't known her last name then, or even until Pam pointed out to me recently who the other Sophie was. I was stunned, and felt instant sympathy for Sookie since I knew she really WAS a bitch.

"Yeah?"

"I need your help in the kitchen for a second. Sorry for interrupting."

"No, not at all."

Sophie and Sookie merely exchanged looks while we walked into the kitchen.

"It's stuck." She pointed to the bottles of wine stacked in the fridge and they'd gotten stuck together rather well. I lifted the top shelf slightly, sliding one bottle out, freeing up the rest of them for easy access.

"Thanks. You can go back to flirting with my boss now," she snipped, turning to open the bottle of wine.

"Excuse me?"

"Sophie. I'm sure she's waiting on you, so you can just go."

"You know Sookie, for such a smart girl, you can be a real idiot sometimes."

She furrowed her brows at me leading me to continue.

"Really, you see me talking to her and you assume I'm flirting? You think so little of me?"

"No, I know you."

"Like shit you do."

"Oh, that's right I don't know you at all, do I? Like I didn't know you knew her even though you listened to me bitch about her FOR MONTHS and never said anything; or like how I thought I knew you were out dating, being a guy around town with all those women when, in fact, you were lying to me and going to the office to work… Why would you do that, Eric? I mean, not only is it chicken shit but it's just too ridiculous for words!"

I was so glad we were alone in the kitchen at this point.

"For the same reason you didn't tell me you and Sam were on a break."

She was fuming, but I didn't give a shit.

"Sookie! Wine, hello?" Tara called through the door. Sookie merely brushed past me with one opened bottle in her hand and another unopened in the other. I guess the fight was on hold.

**SPOV:**

"He knows her! All this time and he's known who she was, like they're friends."

"I doubt they're friends, Sook," Amelia said passing me my glass.

"Why?"

"Eric doesn't have too many friends that are complete psycho bitches, that's why."

"I just can't believe he lied to me about his imaginary dates, too. I mean, how fucked up is that? I thought we were friends. Friends don't lie to their friends."

"Um, Sookie, in the spirit of friends not lying… I have something I need to tell you."

Amelia and I had escaped to my bedroom for a much needed vent fest. We'd stolen some wine and some chips too. I kicked off my shoes and sat up on my bed next to her.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Sookie, I'm bi-sexual."

I laughed, because really, Amelia was slutty for guys, not girls.

"Oh honey, I think that's the wine talking."

"No, Sookie. I'm being serious here. I am."

She looked it too.

"I… wow. When… I mean… how… I mean… ?"

"I kind of always thought I was, but… it wasn't until I met this woman I realized it was for real. That I was... That I am."

"Wow."

Stunned was a kind way to put it.

"Well, that's… I mean, are you happy?"

She smiled and I could see it in her eyes, too.

"Yeah, I am. Really happy. I mean it's new, but I really like her."

"Her who? Who is she? Do I get to meet her?"

"You already have. It's Pam."

I may have spat my wine.

"PAM?" I shouted and just as she poked her head around the door.

"You hollered? There you two are…" she said walking in her heels too high to even balance in but somehow she managed it. Her black leather cat suit clinging to her svelte figure as she sat down.

"I told her, Pam."

"Oh, thank Christ, it's about time. I thought we'd have to be _friends_ forever," she grinned. "You know, like how you and Eric are 'friends.' Seriously, will you two just fuck each other and get it over with? I am sick of watching him be a lovesick puppy, Stackhouse."

"He's not a—"

"He is. Or he's a horny puppy. Either way, put him out of his fuckin' misery."

"His misery is all his own fault," I protested. "He lied to me. Twice. About two really important things and that's just not fair. I thought we were making progress."

"He's a guy, Sookie, and he has his pride. You picked the doctor that can't make you cum over him. It hurt him. So, yeah, he lied. Give him a break will you?"

"Who told you Sam can't make me… do that?"

She looked to Amelia.

"AMES!"

"What? Tara told me and I needed someone to tell!"

I just rolled my eyes.

"Bitches." I sassed them both before I took my wine and I left.

Sometimes I really hated parties.

By the time everyone left, I was drunk, then sobered up again. The house was an absolute mess but I had roped Tara, Ames and even Pam offered to come over and clean up.

Eric was throwing some paper cups in the trash.

"Leave it. We'll take care of it in the morning," I said throwing my wine in the sink and my glass in the water.

"Fine. We need to talk. Now."

I scoffed.

"No, we really don't. I'm going to bed," I said taking off my pixie ears and letting down my hair.

"No. We're doing this now. You getting all pissed off that I was talking to Sophie, then pretending not to give a shit when you clearly do. What's up with that, huh? If you don't care like you say you don't, why would it bother you?"

He'd grabbed my upper arm to stop me from leaving, letting go once he said what he wanted to say. I just walked out into the hallway.

"Sookie, answer me, dammit!."

"I don't know why!" I yelled back "It just does. Okay?"

"Why?"

"Same reason why me being with Sam makes you jealous, I guess."

"I'm not jea—"

"Oh really?" I was feeling bold, or maybe it was the wine. I didn't know. All I knew was I wanted the truth, some real reaction out of him. "So you don't get pissed off thinking of us together? Thinking of how I kiss him and not you; how I fuck him and not you? How I let him touch me, and not you?"

"Shut up," he said in a low dark tone that had it come from anyone else, might have scared me.

"No. Tell me it doesn't piss you off to know he's with me when you're not…that he's—"

I couldn't finish because he'd pushed me against the wall by my waist.

"I said, _shut up._" He said it slowly, deliberately.

Before I could say another word, he kissed me, and not too shockingly—I let him.

"Are you drunk?" he asked, parting from my lips after what seemed like decades. His voice was still tinged with that amazingly sexy lower octave.

"No? Why?"

"If you're drunk, we're not doin' this. I don't do that."

"You work in a bar. You mean to tell me you've never banged a drunk girl?" I said, trying to hold back the moans as his lips made their way back to my neck.

"Long time ago…" was all he got out before he kissed me again, and again came the lightheadedness.

He backed me up against the wall at the foot of the staircase, his hands going straight into my hair and damn, that felt good.

We tried to make our way up the stairs lips still on lips, but that just wasn't going to work. We kept missing steps and landing on our asses.

"I'm going to bruise so bad tomorrow," I giggled into his neck before he lifted me up like I weighed nothing. My legs flanking either side of hips, he carried us both up to the top of the staircase. That was new.

I learned very fast that Eric's height and size was extremely attractive to a somewhat vertically challenged person such as myself, though I'd never fully taken into consideration what it would be like to be taken by such size and height… Except that one time in the shower when I was … well, that's neither here nor there.

"Your room or mine?" I asked.

"Both have beds. I don't really give a shit."

Of course he didn't, I thought as I steered us towards my bedroom.

"Are we really doin' this?" I asked as we made our way—one item of clothing less per step—towards my bed.

"Looks like it." He smiled, his eyes twinkling as he yanked my dress up over my head throwing it behind him as he slid both hands behind my back and unhooked my bra—first try… I tried not to think how many times and on how many women he'd done that to before, though, seeing this new side to him, so assertive and demanding? I'm woman enough to admit, it was turning me the fuck on.

Oh God! Eric and I were going to see each other naked… I was going to see Eric naked. Oh shit, he was going to see me naked!

Thank God I remembered to wax…

Yes, my mind was racing, and yes it was all pointless shit, because I thought if I focused too much on how he was looking at me and how turned on I was, I might combust. And he'd barely touched me.

I pushed off my opened bra, leaving me in only my underwear, which thankfully were not my Spanx or my laundry day underwear. He pushed me back onto my bed but not before grabbing my foot and spreading it so my legs parted before his lips met my ankle, moving up to my calf, and then to my inner thigh.

_Holy…_

His scruff rubbing against my sensitive skin was making me more than a little anxious for him to stop teasing, when I got the feeling he'd just begun. He pulled off his shirt and his vest before going back to working his way up my body with his wet, warm, soft, scruff covered mouth.

When he got to my bellybutton I started to squirm. I tickled easily and he seemed delighted to know this.

"No… don't tickle, okay? I don't want to play anymore, Eric."

Then he stopped, slid up my body and met me face-to-face. With a dangerously sexy look in his eyes he asked, "Then what do you want?"

Truth was, I didn't know exactly what I wanted, but I knew what I needed there and then. And that was him, inside of me. I made this more than obvious when, instead of speaking my desires, I simply took action. Popping the button on his distressed pants and freeing him to slip them off, I then grabbed his shoulders—his very toned and lick-able shoulders—and pushed him back on the bed.

For a few minutes we just sat there, me straddling him, him holding me close to his chest, running his fingers up and down my naked back, just kissing. Fantastic kissing before Eric decided he and I weren't close enough and grabbed my hips, helping me grind on him.

The noises he was making, as well as the fact that I seemed to make his eyes roll to the back of his head—for a better reason than usual this time—was exhilarating, not to mention sexy.

Just as I was about to protest that I wanted more than just simple teasing, he seemed to think the same thing. He moved and flipped me onto my back, landing us in the middle of my bed.

"We need—" I attempted to say something, but he was flicking his tongue out as he kissed my jaw line and it was very distracting.

"Eric…"

I was breathless.

"God, I love hearing my name from you like that," he admitted.

I was so wet that my underwear was starting to make me uncomfortable. Enough foreplay was enough. I needed him. All of him.

I pushed him back as I turned toward my bedside table. I'm sure I looked a sight with my ass in the air as I dug around in the bottom drawer until I found the little unopened box and pulled out what we needed.

"You really do have an amazing ass, Sookie," Eric said with a cheeky grin.

"Well, you spend enough time looking at it…."

"Like you don't look at mine."

"We going to do this now? Or are you going to shut up and fuck me like I know you want to?"

Yeah, maybe those tequila shots hadn't quite worn off yet.

Suddenly the playfulness was gone, as was his underwear. And can I just say thank you, Sweden?

Next thing I knew, he'd grabbed me and positioned us both at the head of the bed, sliding expertly between my thighs. Feeling his hard dick rub against my own scantily covered sex made it difficult to suppress the moans. Both of us tried to ignore that awkward moment when the guy you want to have sex with rolls away from you to slap a little piece of rubber on his dick. Though in Eric's case, maybe 'little' wasn't the best choice of words.

I knew something was up when he stalled.

"What's wrong?" I asked and he looked hesitant. "Eric?"

"It…" He furrowed his brows, "It won't fit. It's too small."

And I knew he meant the condom.

"It… oh."

That, had never happened before. He huffed in frustration before grabbing the box from my opened drawer.

He sighed. "Yeah, those won't fit."

"What? Don't be ridiculous. It's rubber, it stretches!" I said with more force than necessary. I was more than a little too turned on to care about the stupid condoms and their stupidity! As I grabbed the box from him reading, "It says 'average' size for—"

I found myself on my back again, him on top of me—smirking.

"What?"

"Haven't you learned, Sookie?" he asked in that lower octave sexy voice. Some people had bedroom eyes, I realized Eric had bedroom voice. Equally if not more sexy.

"What's that?"

He kissed me hard, long and slow.

_Damn._

"I am anything, but average."

I just rolled my eyes, even if I was seeing that he wasn't just being a cocky shit. He might just be that good.

He got off the bed, stark naked and not a hint of shame at it. I felt myself blush, even though I was laying there with only thin white panties covering what was left of my dwindling modesty.

He made it to the door before I heard him mutter a low 'fuck it,' before he stalked back to the bed where he went for my arm, pulling me over his shoulder in one swift hike.

I screamed in protest but he just ignored me, laughing. Between the dips, the chips and the alcohol I wasn't feeling the best to be thrown up so high.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"My room has what we need and I didn't like the idea of leaving you on that big old bed all by yourself," he teased, his hand caressing my ass as we made our way into his bedroom across the hall.

I almost asked if he was afraid I'd chicken out, only I didn't have time. He threw me down on the big, soft bed with a small bounce, before he rooted around his top drawer and found what he was looking for.

"Now, where were we?" he asked and I had a momentary guilt trip.

Whether it was the was mass of alcohol dimming my guilt switch, or the fact that Eric was standing over me naked, hard and with a very naughty look in his eye, the guilt was soon forgotten.

I was so nervous I was shaking just a little. If he noticed he didn't call attention to it. Instead, he focused his attention on sliding us up the bed till my head hit the pillow, then his lips were on my neck again. I felt his fingers slip into my panties and inside me—and holy shit I was lot more sensitive than I thought. He mumbled something into my neck before he pushed a little deeper inside me with his second finger and needless to say, he had me in the palm of his hand—literally. His free hand worked on sliding my underwear down my thighs, and off my legs completely.

Never one to be selfish, I blindly trailed my hand down his stomach, grasping what I wanted. He gasped with eyes closed and it told me perhaps I wasn't the only overly sensitive one in the room. We both wound each other up, fighting for dominance and control over who pushed who further over the edge with our hands. By the time we were both a red-faced panting mess, I was more than ready for him to fuck me like I knew he wanted. And when we finally got there, feeling him stretch me for the first time was overwhelming. I was so close to losing it and feeling him fill that void so completely without even moving, I felt the tiny signs of my orgasm creeping up on me. It would have been so embarrassing to come right then, though thankfully I didn't. Then he moved—once, twice, slow, quick, quick, slow. The teasing was driving me crazy.

"Please… just…"

"Just what?" he asked, going even slower than before.

"Just do it. Stop being an ass and do it."

"Do what?" he whispered above me forcing me to open my eyes and look at him before I grasped onto his headboard for leverage. "Do what, Sookie?"

I decided to be as blunt as I possibly could.

"Stop being a cocky son of bitch and just fuck me, Northman!"

He smiled, a cocky smile, one I both loved and hated at that moment, before he whispered, "As you wish," raising his brows at me.

Hiking my legs up, laying one on his shoulder—holy shit this was new—I felt him slip deeper; deeper than even I thought possible. The overwhelming feeling of being so full overtook me before he started to buck his hips hard and fast, and without much mercy. I just grasped onto that banging headboard for dear life. I felt my orgasm hit me but he didn't stop. If anything, he went harder and I lost all power over my legs and my screams. His name was beginning to sound like a prayer being chanted as he kissed and sucked and fucked me though his mattress.

Why the hell had we waited so long to do this?

**A/N: Good morning, how are feeling about this chapter? How I pumped out 18 pages in a day, I'll never know… but somehow you go them. What did we think? *wriggles eyebrows* **

**Big thank you to my beta vikinglover_elle for betaing this monster so quickly lol.**


	21. Chapter 21

**EPOV:**

My ears were ringing, all I knew was, there was Sookie, there was me, and there was the damn headboard that kept slamming against the wall. I didn't care though, and it seemed she didn't either - she was totally lost in her pleasure. Her eyes were shut tight and she was chanting my name, Jesus and God over and over. It was exhilarating, to say the least, since I could feel her muscles going crazy with what I was doing to her It took every ounce of self control not to just lose it the second I slipped inside her. But as felt her clench around me for what I thought was the third orgasm- I'd managed to shockingly hold out long enough to give her - I lost myself. We were a sweaty mess of limbs and kisses by the time we both fell onto our respective pillows. I could feel my heart in my ears and her heavy breathing next to me.

"Holy shit…" I managed, ever the articulate.

"I think my heart is going to explode." She panted and I just rolled over to her again, slipping my hand over her heart. It was beating extremely fast and she was covered in a delectable sheen of sex sweat that- call me caveman if you like- but I was proud to have put there.

"I'll be right back." I said, kissing her quickly on the cheek before I walked into the bathroom to clean up. Safety was always important, but it was messy as hell.

I got back to my room to find her tangled in my sheet, looking sexy as anything.

"Hi," I said with a smile as I climbed back in.

She smiled back, "I can't believe we just did that…"

"I can…" I kissed again, this time lazily, slowly and making sure I didn't pull away until I knew I had her breathless again.

I was more than ready for round two as I got reacquainted with those rather amazing breasts of hers, as well as allowing my fingers to do a little exploring of their own. She was still extremely sensitive and it felt incredible.

She reached for my face, making me look at her, taking me away from her body.

"Again?" She asked in a sleepy voice.

"We lost out on a little foreplay before…" I reasoned.

She laughed "What do you call the last six months?"

I flipped us over, bringing her on top of me where we just laid, continuing the lazy kisses as I slipped both my hands into her hair, she moaned slightly. I latched onto her breasts and massaged until she started to shift her hips, her nipples pebbling under my finger and thumb. She started to grind her lower half against me. It would have been so easy to bury myself inside her again, unprotected, but I knew that's not what either of us wanted, nor were we ready for.

Instead she reached over to my bedside table, and found what she was looking for.

"May I?" She asked too sweetly since her eyes were filled with mischief.

I just nodded.

Instead of simply rolling it on and letting us get down to business, she rolled it to the tip and then all I felt was her hot mouth roll it the rest of the way before my eyes rolled back in my head.

But she didn't stop there. No, she took me in her mouth and started to give me one very unexpected blowjob. I knew she was getting off on my reactions to her mouth on me, but it's not like it was something I could control. I'd gotten to know myself real well these last few months, alone and sexless, and having glorious, naked Sookie go to town on me was like I'd won the lottery.

As much as I never wanted her to stop what she was doing, I knew if she kept it up, I wouldn't have lasted as long as I wanted too, and I wanted to be inside her again more than anything. This time she took the reins, gently at first, then harder and faster until she gripped for the headboard- my poor abused headboard- to give her the leverage she needed to keep up her good work. I'd decided this angle was my favourite angle for Sookie. It worked so well for her- what with her being naked and straddling me and all.

Determined to make her come before I did, I worked my thumb inside her just right, causing her hips to pop faster and her breathing to get louder. I knew she was close, so I pinched that little ball of nerves and within seconds, she was moaning into my neck as she came, allowing my to surrender my control over myself as well. We were a mess to say the least. I smoothed some of her hair from her face as she collapsed beside me, light-headed and spent. I stripped the condom, tied it and aimed for my wastepaper basket before I curled myself around her as she faced the window away from me.

"So tired," she mumbled, her breath slowing down as she pulled my arms around her waist, bring me closer as we spooned. As tired as I was, I savoured the moment for what it was; just laying there peaceful and exhausted. Why I did it, I'll never know. Maybe because I felt it, in that moment, or maybe I'd' felt it in the many moments before… but when I said it, I didn't think she'd actually hear it. It was barely a whisper, not even a breath, but I said it, and it changed everything.

"I love you…" I said to the darkness, knowing it was meant for her at some point, but not knowing she pretended to sleep more convincingly than I realised.

Everything changed.

**SPOV:**

I woke up aching just about everywhere. My head was pounding, my skin hurt, there was this dull pain between my thighs. I felt fucked, which I guess I was. Thoroughly so. It had been a long time- to say the least- since the last time that had actually happened. Between that and the hangover I just knew I'd have, I was questioning everything I did the night before.

I also woke up, I realised, wrapped in the arms of my housemate. I was facing away from him, but he was definitely wrapped around me. His large hands and arms around my waist, his face nuzzled into my neck.

And that's when I remembered. No, not the amazing, mind-boggling orgasms, or the intense sex that gave us both those mind-boggling orgasms. No, I remembered his words. Three words to be exact. Three words that had me on edge from the moment I woke up.

I felt him shift beside me before his grip tightened, pulling me closer to him and then I felt his lips on my neck…and God, that felt good.

No.

_Focus._

"G'morning…" came his husky greeting.

"Morning." I said, still not making a move to face him, not entirely sure if was even able to.

"So I was thinking, we still have a few more hours before Jessica gets here… I vote we stay here and um, recreate, last night." I could hear the smile in his sleepy voice. I wanted to match it but I couldn't. Something was holding me back.

"Well, as delightful as that sounds, the house is a complete mess. We can't just leave it like that."

I turned to face him finally, and he looked sleepy but happy, his hair was sticking up in the back and all mussed at the front. Why was he so adorable? And why did I feel _this_ bad?

"Sure we can, no one cares, Jessica doesn't care what the house looks like." he said, kissing my neck again.

"We should get up." I tried to pull away, but he didn't let go right away.

"Hello? You two hung-over assholes better be awake!" I heard from outside the room. It was Pam.

"Shit!" I said trying to find my clothes, then I remembered were across the hall.

"Sookie, why are you freaking out? It's not like we did anything wrong." He reasoned, just laying there as I tried to slip on his shirt.

"Where are yo_- Ohh_." came the obnoxious quip from Pam as she walked right into Eric's bedroom, finding us both in bed. I was in the middle of buttoning up a plaid shirt I found on his chair.

"My, my, my. I was wondering why it smelled like sex up here."

Amelia walked in after her to walk right back out again.

"Get out, Pam." Eric said firmly.

"Why? You aren't enjoying this awkwardness? I sure am." She stated with a wicked grin.

"OUT."

"Touchy." She quirked her brow before turning on her heels, "Nice breasts, Sookie."

"Oh God." I cringed into his pillow, but he just laughed.

"You know she's kidding. She doesn't give a shit, really."

"But… now they know."

"So?"

"So? Eric, this is personal and honestly, it wasn't something I was ready to share with the whole class just yet. Not when I'm still wrapping my head around it." I said as I shuffled the sheets to get out of the bed and finish buttoning up the shirt until I could get something else to wear.

"Wrapping your head around it? Sookie, no offence or anything, but what's there to wrap around? We had sex. It's been a long time coming, and it was great. And, might I add, we're good together. I see no reason for freaking out here." I said as he slipped on his boxers and a tank. "Unless there's something else?"

"No, it's just things are complicated enough as it is, and now … with this, it… just makes it more so."

He nodded, his happy mood quick to disintegrate. I knew I was the cause and I hated myself for it.

"So what you're saying is, last night was a once off? That because shit is so 'complicated' that us being together like that would be too 'difficult'. Is that what you're saying?"

"Please don't get mad at me, okay, I just… well don't you think maybe this isn't the best idea in the world? I mean, really, what happens six days, weeks, hours from now if we decide it's a mistake? Everything is ruined, Jessica is in the middle of this and we have to look out for her first."

"Don't use Jessica as your excuse, Sookie. You're scared."

"Well of course I'm scared, but my point still stands. This has to be nipped in the bud now. We can't be doing this." I walked out of his bedroom and into my own. He followed me.

"So then why do it at all? You could have said no. In fact, if I recall, I gave you ample opportunities to say no. It's not that hard."

"I know that."

"And? You still did it, three times, might I add."

"Seriously, you're mad?"

"Yes, I am mad, I'm …" he licked his lips, his face tinged with anger and maybe something else. I couldn't let myself think about what else he was feeling. This had to stop where it was before it got worse. If putting the fact that Jessica needed two parents without break-up baggage first, made me the bitch, then so be it.

My cell phone had been buzzing since I'd walked into the room. It was laying on my bed. The more I ignored it, the more it buzzed.

Eric looked at the name on the phone, which only seemed to piss him off even more.

"Sam? Seriously?" He looked from the phone to me.

"Well, I didn't know he was calling me, did I? I was in there with you."

"I thought you realised he wasn't right? So much for being on a break, huh?"

"Eric, don't."

The phone continued to buzz. Before I reached over to knock it off.

"Don't what? You sleep with me, but he still thinks he has a shot… you and I… it felt right and you know it. Hell, you can't deny that much."

"Eric it was…"

Amazing, wonderful, mind blowing? Any of those words could have fit rather nicely.

"Look, you know it was great, right? But come on, you and me? It wouldn't work. It couldn't, not in the long run, and that's where Jessica comes in. This isn't just about us, or sex, or whatever feeling led us there. If we go down that road, and we keep falling into bed together because it's easy and feels good and all of that, what happen when one or both of us gets bored, gets sick of each other, or want someone else?"

He motioned to say something but then stopped himself.

"Do you love him? Is that what this is about?"

There was that word again.

"This isn't about Sam; this is about you and me."

"Then why does he still think it's okay to be calling you, Sookie? Does Mr PHD not understand the meaning of the word 'break'?"

"Stop making this about him."

"But it IS about him, at least partly. You know he's no good for you! You both have nothing in common. Jesus, he can't even please you in bed, for fuck sake." he snapped.

"Who-"

It didn't matter who told him, but when he said it, it still stung.

"That's none of-"

"No, you know what, fine. You want him, fine. Go back to him. Hell, this tells me maybe you two deserve each other."

"You're angry right now so I think we just should go downstairs before one or both of us says something we shouldn't."

"No. I think we should say whatever we have to say now. When I kissed you that night Sookie, I meant it, and you didn't -"

"I -"

"No, you didn't. You thought you did, but you didn't. But I did, and what happened? We freak out… or not we - you, you freak out. And we end up not talking and everything is awkward. We finally make some progress… and then last night happened. After everything and after we've gotten closer, you're _still _freaking out. Why? I meant everything I did last night -"

"And everything you _said?"_

His face changed with the recognition of what I was talking about. Just then Amelia poked her head around my door.

"Sorry again, guys, but Pam's pissed that we're the only ones cleaning."

"I'll be right down." I told her, walking past Eric and our conversation to take the quickest shower of my life.

By the time I'd gotten down stairs again, Eric was gone. Judging by the faces being made by both Amelia and Pam, there had been words exchanged before he went. I just ignored both of them, popping the coffee to brew before making a start on the kitchen.

Worst morning ever.

By two pm, Jessica was back and as hyper as ever. Pam and Amelia helped like they promised and after the first hour of silence, Pam broke it only to tell me they were leaving. They were mad at me, Eric was mad at me, I was mad at me. He still hadn't come back by the time I'd made dinner. Having gone over and over what I might have said to him if he did, I still didn't have a proper answer. He was right; I was scared of what he and I meant. I was even more scared of what it meant if it ended. I'd lost my family as a kid and it sucked, but I had my Gran. Without her love and caring environment, it would have been so much harder. But then I might as well have lost my brother when I lost my Gran. I never saw or heard from him and he didn't seem to want to hear from me. I'd lost two families. The one we'd worked on creating for Jessica wasn't one I was going to lose just by being an idiot who couldn't control her hormones.

He said he loved me. But realistically, how could he? I was a mess, anyone could see that, and really it was more than likely post-orgasmic babbling. I mean with how we were, I almost said it to him. Factoring in how long it had been since a man was able to make my body react like that? And even the last time it had happened, it felt nothing like how it felt with Eric. Definitely not with Bill, and certainly not with Sam. I knew Sam and I were over. If I was honest, I'd known it a while ago, but he'd become a good friend to me. Losing that was something I wasn't ready for before. So when the phone rang again after eight, and it was Sam, I answered.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself. I know this whole break thing is still on but, I just wanted you to know I'm sorry for whatever it was that upset you before. I didn't mean to."

"Sam, I know. And it's sweet of you to keep apologising but really, like I said before, there's no need."

"I miss you." He said sweetly, and honestly it's not like I could say the same.

"See what I mean? Sweet." I smiled "How's the conference?"

"Boring. Necessary, but boring. I'm back tomorrow, maybe we could get lunch, talk properly…"

"Sam-" I turned around to find Eric standing in the doorway to the kitchen and he was even more surly than the last time I'd seen him. "Uh, Sam can I call you back?"

"Something wrong?"

"No, not … no just let me call you back, okay?"

"Okay, sure…" he sounded doubtful but I didn't care as I hung up the phone and looked at Eric.

"You're back."

"Mmhm." He crossed his arms and I noticed he'd changed his clothes. He was wearing his dark jeans and a green t-shirt.

"We'd you go?" I asked hoping to strike up a conversation at least.

"_Out."_

"I know that, I asked where?"

"None of your business."

Oh, so this was how it was going to be?

"Very mature."

"Yeah, well that's me, Mr. Mature. Look, I just came back to grab a few things. I won't be staying."

My heart, quite rightly, sank.

"What?"

"I'm moving out."

"What? You-"

"I'll still be around for Jessica, and we'll still have our schedules. I just won't be staying here."

"I see."

It was then that I noticed his sports bag by the kitchen door.

"Where will you go?" I asked quietly and he just shrugged.

"Pam's, for now until I find a place suitable. If CPS had an issue with that we'll work it out, I'm sure."

"So, you're just moving out, just like that?"

He looked at me then, and his once warm eyes were suddenly so cold it almost made me shiver.

"Why wouldn't I? It's not like there's anything keeping me here, is there?"

Before I had the chance to speak again, he turned, grabbed his bag and walked. A few seconds later I heard the front door shut tight.

In trying to keep our makeshift family together, I'd only served to break it apart. Where the hell did we go from here?

**A/N: SURPRISE ANGST. It's like surprise rape but even less fun, isn't it? Sorry, bad joke. But *inhale* *exhale* It's all going to be okay… I think. Thank you all so much for the review love on the last two chapters, if I didn't get back to you, I apologize. Real life and this muse decided to kick my ass. But I thank you for the love all the same! **

**Big thanks to Makesmyheadspin for beta'ing this one so I could post before I hit the hay tonight. I'll see in the morning what you guys think! :D **


	22. Chapter 22

**EPOV:**

I'd spent the entire day at the bar after I left the house. I showered there and thankfully had clothes to change into aside from the sweats I had pulled on in order to get out of the house. I couldn't believe how she had reacted, though, I probably should have known it was how she'd behave.

I tried to understand it but my anger, and more to the point, my hurt, took over. I didn't know she'd heard me when I'd said it—hell, I barely heard myself. But she did, and it effected everything else. Did I mean it? I think I did; I wanted to mean it. It had been a long time since I'd felt anything like I felt when I looked at Sookie. I couldn't explain it. The confusion I felt with that new feeling was more frustrating than I remembered. Maybe she did have a point about the family we were trying to build being at risk, but what couple with kids weren't risking that family by being together? We weren't conventional right from the start—that much was obvious—but that didn't mean we couldn't give it a shot at least. Thousands, millions of families managed with their non-conventional lifestyle everyday. Why should we be any different?

I knew Sookie was terrified of letting that happen—for now, at least. I knew Bill had an affect on her and God only knows what she went through when she was a kid and lost her baby. No one that young should have to go through that. Did that excuse her reaction? I wasn't sure.

I'd nursed my ego in the office for the majority of the day, ignoring the fact that Tiffany was practically prancing outside the office trying to get my attention. It wasn't going to happen.

I never had any intention of actually moving out when I drove back to the house that night. Maybe it was childish; maybe it was manipulative, but I wanted to scare her into thinking I would leave. If I did that, maybe she'd wake up and realize she didn't want me to go. Call me crazy, but was it wrong of me to want her to fight for me? Maybe it was, since on the surface it seemed that I was so unwilling to fight for her. I wanted us to be together but I wouldn't force it on her, and she seemed to want Sam. A fact that was reinforced when I went back to the house. I'd slipped in as quietly as I could and threw some things in a bag. I was willing to hash it out with her if I had to. I just wanted her to want me to stay, as pathetic as that sounds.

When I saw she was on the phone with Sam, all rational thought went right out the window. She was smiling and calling him 'sweet.' It pissed me off more than anything and at the risk of handing in my man card completely, it made me feel used. There she was, still dating him less than twenty-four hours after we'd fucked all over my bed. Then she had the sheer gall of looking wide-eyed and hopeful that perhaps we could talk. My ego took over and all I wanted was to get out of there.

I passed Jessica in her baby walker, engrossed in a Barney marathon. I kissed her on the head before I grabbed my sports bag and walked out the door. I didn't want to leave her, either of them if I'm honest, but it was necessary in that moment. Our makeshift family was shattering, despite all of Sookie's protesting to the opposite. I'd always be there for Jessica, but in that moment I couldn't, nor would I, be there for Sookie.

Staying with Pam was worse than I imagined. It was like being sixteen and living with my mother all over again. While I agreed we'd keep our schedules as far as the baby was concerned, it still meant I had my nights free. Nights I was avoiding the office at all costs while I completed my assent into womanhood by wallowing in my heartbreak.

"Eric, you really need to get a grip… and possibly a razor."

"It's a look," I said rubbing my newly bearded chin.

"It's a homeless look. No one wants that; this isn't Hollywood. They see you walking the streets like that here, people will be offering you a dollar for some food."

"Funny."

"You know what's not funny? You. Looking like ass and feeling sorry for yourself and … what the hell are you watching?"

"The Kardashians."

"Are you kidding?"

"No. Their asses are huge but my problems are bigger. Lay off Pam."

"And you still won't tell me what happened? It's been more than a week, Eric." She tapped her foot impatiently.

"What's there to tell? Sookie and I don't match. That's it."

"What a defeatist attitude. Who gives a fuck if you don't match? You make the match."

I just rolled my eyes at her.

"Get up and shave, please. You're scaring the neighbors."

"Like I give a shit."

"Fine, sit here, wallow in your own pathetic mess. I am going to work. I expect my boss to be there." She slapped my knee with the newspaper with an expectant look.

I, on the other hand, had no reason to move. A little wallowing never killed anyone, but if Pam didn't stop bitching, I was pretty sure I'd seen enough re-runs of CSI that week that I could make her disappearance look like an accident.

Yeah...

I really needed to leave the house.

**SPOV:**

After he left, as much as I felt the urge to cry, I didn't. I wouldn't. I was done crying over men and my shitty choices where they were concerned. Instead, I picked Jessica up and got into bed, taking her with me for comfort. She didn't seem to argue, as she cuddled into my duvet with her bottle of warm milk in hand. She was comfortable in minutes and in fact, she was out like a light as I read Sleeping Beauty not too long after Cinders and her Prince met their happily ever after. It was a welcome reprieve I used to text Sam. I told him I needed to see him at some point the next day. I didn't say why. It wasn't something I wanted to do over the phone, but he and I were done. I needed to get my shit together, starting with my love life.

Breaking up with Sam was easier than I thought. He said he knew it was coming but owed it to himself and to me, to make one last ditch attempt at trying to save what we had. Like most of our relationship, the ending was as nice and as amicable as could be expected. He was a good guy and the right one for someone; he just wasn't the right one for me. I didn't tell him about what had happened with Eric, mostly because—and not to sound too Ross and Rachel about this—but we _were_ on a break, and it was none of his business now that we weren't a couple anymore. Since I had wanted my first Thanksgiving in my new place to be a big thing, I'd invited everyone over—sporadic invites here and there. Sam's still stood. No one should be alone on Thanksgiving. That was my Grans motto and even when I was in my tiny apartment, I'd have as many people over as my little kitchen could cook for. This year, I was practically in a palace and I intended to take full advantage. Eric didn't need an invite, since I assumed he would still be living here by the time Thanksgiving rolled around. I mean, why wouldn't I have thought that? But now everything was awkward and wrong and it was mostly my fault.

I could say it was all my fault, like I felt it really was, but in reality, he was just as much to blame. I had my reasons for my reaction and he had his, but really, who tells a girl they loved them for the first time post sex? Honestly, and if you think about it, he really didn't even tell me. He told the room, and I just happened to overhear! If he had those kinds of feelings for me, why not man up and admit them?

I know I didn't make things easy on him, but that's life. It's not easy… and if he loved me like he said he loved me, then he knew I was a stubborn bitch at times who needed to be shoved in the right direction. We'd known each other almost seven months. This wasn't news to him.

Frustration is mostly what I felt when it came to all things Eric. We'd be civil when he came to pick Jessica up, or I'd drop her off at Pam's; always civil for the sake of the baby. The baby who was asking why her 'dada goes bye byes?' when he'd bring her home. It continued to break my heart over and over every time she asked. Two weeks we'd managed to do the little dance and it was fine. Awkward, but fine. He looked like shit more often than not, and I worried he was ill or something. But no, Amelia informed me he was just embracing his inner homeless chic. Personally, I think she'd been spending too much time with Pam.

That bombshell was one I was still getting used to. Amelia, for so long was the girl who loved guys a little too much. Stage five clinger too much, if you get me… but now? She was chilled, changed and relaxed and I attributed most of that to Pam, and maybe the fact that she'd been totally honest with us about who she really was inside. Either way, she was happy and it was wonderful to see. Pam was back to speaking to me, though she gave me the side eye more often than not. I didn't care. Pam I could handle, and I knew she'd eventually get over it… or at least I hoped. My private life was none of her business, nor was what she thought of my sex life. Water off a ducks back, as they say. That's how that felt; I just didn't care.

My one evening a week at work was still a Thursday, and for that night Jess stayed with Maxine, her husband and Hoyt. Jessica seemed to love Maxine. She was a kind, round woman, always there with a recipe or a word of advice. In many regards she was a typical southern woman, and she reminded me of my grandmother a lot of the time. She had that same warmth and I enjoyed her sense of humor, too. She believed in loving your kids but not too much that they were smothered by it. I'd seen it rub off on Hoyt, who was a boisterous little man. While not much older than Jessica, he still seemed oddly protective of her. I felt relaxed knowing my baby girl was in such good hands while I walked into the devils den.

I'd been job hunting on and off for weeks, but nothing decent was coming up. With the recession I guess it was to be expected. Those with good jobs were fighting to keep them, and those without were swooping in to get what they could. But that Thursday evening was my last straw.

Sophie was laughing, her head thrown back, her legs crossed in the direction of her companion. That companion, was Eric, who first of all, was shaven—that shocked me—but second of all, he was in a well-fitted grey suit and smiling, too. That just about pissed me off, but I swallowed it. Walking back to the office, I put down my things, signed my time cards and went on my usual route to check that the staff was okay.

"Oh, Soookie?" I heard from across the semi-filled restaurant. Sophie's jarring voice couldn't be mistaken.

I went to them, swallowing the fact that I wanted to slap her smug face the entire way there.

"You hollered?" I asked, not attempting to be polite.

She smiled.

"Could you be a dear and get us a bottle of wine?"

I furrowed my brows at both of them. She wouldn't stop smiling, and Eric was looking anywhere but at me. Bastard.

"Excuse me?"

"White, preferably of a better standard than the house wine. Oh, and some menu's, too."

"I'm not a waitress, Sophie. Ask one of the wait staff to do it."

"They're busy."

"So? Wait."

"Are you refusing?"

"Sophie, it's fine. I'm not drinking anyway; I'm driving," Eric finally spoke up.

"No, Eric. Sookie is just being rude for the sake of it. She's been insolent all week. Honestly, I wonder why I bother paying her sometimes."

Eric looked at me, suitably embarrassed for me and mad at her.

"Yeah, Sophie, you know what, I wonder about that too sometimes. I mean, it's not like you give a shit about this place," I said, not caring who heard me. The rest of the customers most likely did. "It's not like this place matters to you. All it is, is a playground for when Europe bores you, or when Daddy digs his heels in with the money, right? Or when the latest in a long line of billionaire boyfriends get bored with you and your shrill and irritating voice screaming at them for doing everything wrong. No, it's not like it matters that I've killed myself for this place for three years; that I've built this place up from nothing to what it was before you ruined it. And I stood by and watched as you undid all my work; all our work. The staff here, Sophie, was some of the best. And the customers knew it. They loved this place, and you've taken everything I loved." I didn't mean to look at Eric then, but I did. Before I looked back at her, she was fuming and extremely embarrassed—as she should be. "And you've fucked it into the ground. So you know, I do often wonder why you're paying me at all. You can ruin everything all by yourself."

She cleared her throat before saying, "You're fired." I just laughed because, really, who the fuck was she kidding?

" Honey, you can't fire me. I quit as of… oh, six minutes ago."

I smiled at her fuming face before turning on my heel to go to the office. I found the majority of the staff standing by the kitchen door.

"Sorry guys, I held out as long as I could."

A few of the waitresses nodded and went back to work. Lafayette just shrugged, "Well, that's it then. I'm gone, too."

"What? Lafayette, don't be stupid! You can't quit."

"Oh, yes I can. I hate that little witch and you knows it. The only reason I agreed to work for her is because I wasn't workin' for _her, _I was workin' for _you_. I ain't sittin' here for her to boss me around like this is Drivin' Miss Daisy. Okay?"

I nodded. It was his decision and I knew he was just as stubborn as I was. I went into the office, grabbed my bag and my coat and walked to the staff exit where I found Eric waiting.

"Are you okay?" he asked as I walked up to him.

I'd been choking back tears since I walked into the office. I wasn't fine but I wasn't going to tell Sophie's date that.

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"No…" I wiped a stray tear before I stubbornly looked away. "You should get back to your date. She's probably pissed enough as it is."

He laughed, "She's not my date. This was a very bad idea, and also a business meeting. But definitely not a date."

"You see what she was wearing? To her, this was definitely a date." I laughed.

"No, I haven't lost my mind just yet. If I ever do, I'll be sure to call her."

I looked out the staff door, and it was still pouring rain. But the tension between Eric and I was killer. It was between a rock and a wet place for me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him after we'd both gone quiet. He simply shuffled his feet before he answered me.

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"No," he smiled, mimicking our previous exchange, before huffing a breath. "But, I will be."

"Jessica misses you, you know?"

"I see her everyday…"

"I know, but it's not the same, and she still does."

He just nodded in acceptance.

"Is she… I mean, is she the only …" He stopped. Whatever he was going to ask, he changed his mind. "I'll pick her up tomorrow."

I laughed as I realized, "I have no job. I guess that means the schedule is out the window."

"I'd still like to have her, I mean if that's not—"

"No, no of course, Eric. I would never stop that, ever. I mean, no matter what happens or doesn't happen with us, I'd never do that to you. Or her."

He smiled.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that."

The rain had finally stopped a little so walking to the car might not have drowned me.

"I should go make a run for it before the sky opens up again."

"Okay…"

I'd made it just past the door when he called my name.

"Yeah?" I said holding my coat over my head.

"I was proud of you back there, you know?" he smiled and it made me smile.

"Yeah? Me too. First time for anything, right?" I said before I waved once and made a bolt for my car.

It was true, rarely had I reason to feel proud of myself, but bitching out my bitch of a bitch ass ex boss, was pretty damn cool. You know what else was cool? A conversation with Eric with more than one syllable. Progress was progress, and in the spirit of progress and self-improvement, I decided to bite the bullet on something I'd been considering for years but always shied away from.

_Therapy._

I'd made a call to a Dr. Ellis and made an initial appointment. She said it was free since she liked to see if her patients like her, her style and her rate before signing onto anything huge. Her office was bright and friendly with personal touches of her personality here and there, as well as a beautifully framed picture of her daughter on her desk. We agreed to meet once a week and we could make that more if I felt the need. She was open and approachable, and her office smelled like baked goods—what's not to love?

After quitting my job, the initial freak-out lasted a day and a half. Jessica was clearly confused as to why I was around so much more, but it served us well. In the three weeks since the blow up with Eric, things between Jessica and I had vastly improved, as had her ever wonky steps. We were doing our weekly baking ritual when Eric came through the backdoor to pick her up.

"Sorry, I lost track of the time. We got a little distracted," I admitted, glancing at the clock.

"I can see that. Is there a baby underneath all that cream?"

We both looked at Jessica who was perched on the kitchen counter. Her jeans and her sweater were covered in soft cream. She'd taken to dipping her fingers, hands and apparently, her arms into the mixing bowl.

When she saw us both looking at her she put her two hands in a 'what?' motion before she said, "I didn't do it," only it came out sounding more like 'ah dent do eet' than anything.

"Didn't do what?" I asked her.

"Dis?" She held up her pink cream covered fingers to me. "Some?"

"No," I said before she turned to Eric who was now next to her.

"Some, daddy?"

He took a tiny amount from her hand making a loud 'nom nom' sound making her giggle.

"Good thing I wasn't here to screw this batch up, huh?" he asked, nodding toward the freshly made cupcakes.

"Little bit. Jessica is a mess though, just like you. So it was almost like you were here."

"A Sookie cupcake was still the best cupcake I've had," he said sticking his finger into the cream and licking it off, and God, Jesus and Judas help me if it didn't go straight to my lady business.

"I found a place—"

"What...?" I may have zoned out.

"I, uh, found a place. It's not that far from here. I can move in in a couple of weeks so… Should make things a little easier, having my own space again."

"Oh..." My heart sank. Not that I didn't think he was serious about being gone, I just thought maybe he'd want to move back in at some point. Guess that wasn't happening now. "I guess so." I grabbed Jessica off the countertop, before walking out of the kitchen. "I'll be back in a second. I'll get her cleaned up for you. Help yourself to … whatever." I motioned to the table and the island, both covered in various batches of cookies and cakes.

I wasn't so much eating my emotions, as Dr. Ellis would say. I was baking my feelings and handing them out to the neighbors.

I'd wiped Jessica down with a cloth before I changed her into some leggings and a blue denim dress. Her little black booties were just too cute. I handed her off to Eric, who had dabs of powdered sugar on his lips. I didn't allow myself to think what that might taste like… not at all.

"Mama?"

"Yes honey?

"Come too?" She asked.

Before I could answer, Eric spoke up. "No, honey, mamma has work to do here. Next time, okay?"

"Pleeeease?"

"No, Jess, not right now. But you have fun with daddy, okay?" It was Tuesday. Tuesday was the park and since it wasn't raining for once that week, they could still go.

"See ya, Sookie."

"Wait. Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"I um, well, I'm still having that big Thanksgiving dinner I talked about ages ago. You're more than welcome to come. There'll be a ton of food."

He stood, Jessica's bag on one shoulder as he held her up high in his arms, and he seemed to contemplate it.

"Will Sam be there?"

And there was the rub. We'd gone three weeks without mentioning Sam and it had worked well. There was a hardness in his eyes when I told him that he would be there.

"Then thanks, but no thanks. I don't really feel like sitting through a meal with you two being all… whatever you are."

"It's not like that, not at all..." I started to protest but he interrupted me.

"Yeah, like I said, no, but thanks."

I guess progress couldn't be made everywhere at once.

**A/N: Big thank you all for the review love last chapter, between work and life, and trying to get the next chapter done I'm sorry if I didn't get to reply to your questions and comments but know that I read and loved all of them, I promise! :D **


	23. Chapter 23

**EPOV:**

Why I agreed to it, I'll never know. She didn't have any business sense, though I'd met her father through various work functions in the city in the years since I'd opened the bar. She and I had only met once, and while she decided she wanted me as her new play thing, I wasn't interested then and I was even less interested now. She was spoiled and nasty—no amount of designer perfume could cover up her stinking personality. Yet, I agreed to meet with her, at the restaurant of all places, and on the night I knew Sookie would be working. I tried to kid myself by saying I wasn't there in the hopes of seeing her. No, I was there for a business meeting, and if I happened to bump into Sookie? Then so be it.

It was during our weekly date to the park that I realized I really needed to shave. I was scaring the kids and Jessica kept trying to pull at my beard because apparently her 'dada was hide-y.' So, I pulled myself, ever so reluctantly, out of my funk and took a long hot shower followed by a sharp shave. It was then that Sophie called, saying her business was in a 'touch of trouble,' which I knew was bullshit since Sookie had told me she was going under- and fast. She asked if I'd be willing to meet with her on business, one owner to another. I wanted to say no, but the prospect of maybe seeing Sookie again made it worth it. So I went. She flirted and in the thirty minutes I sat with her she'd barely mentioned the business, instead focusing on her giggle and stories of Europe. When Sookie finally stood up to Sophie, I was beyond proud of her. It had to be a long time coming for her. Sookie had, from what I'd heard from Amelia and Tara, worked her little ass off for that place and I knew it was killing her to have to give that up. But in all honesty, Sophie deserved it. If you didn't treat your staff right they fucked around on the job. She was lucky to have had Sookie at all. Our talk before she left that night was the most progress we'd made in three weeks of grumpy exchanges and sarcasm. Was I still angry with her? A little, but that was mostly my bruised ego talking and I knew it.

When she asked if I'd still come over for Thanksgiving, I was willing to jump at the chance to be with Jessica, and her, if I was being honest… but then I remembered Sam.

I couldn't sit at a table with friends, and possibly neighbors, pretending everything was A-okay between us when it just really wasn't—not while they were still together. She told me she'd been seeing a shrink a few times a week, and while I was a little surprised, I felt it was ultimately a good move for her. She had her issues just like the rest of us, but it seemed to me her pride was something that kept those issues in place. I'd seen it with Pam a time or two—never willing to admit that shit was wrong and keeping it inside till she was about to burst. I'd hoped it would help her face her demons, in time.

On Thanksgiving Day our bar was open. I wasn't born American, so Thanksgiving wasn't really mandatory for me, but I had enjoyed it as a kid. Mostly it was like Christmas dinner before Christmas. Since it was my first Thanksgiving as a dad I really did want to be there with Jess, so I spent the previous two days kicking myself for saying no to Sookie's invite.

"Get your ass in gear," I heard Pam call from her bedroom.

"Why?"

"Eric, we both know you want to come, so just come. She invited you; she wants you there."

"Yeah, but _he's _going to be there."

"So? What are you fucking _twelve_?"

"No…"

"Well, then, stop acting like it! Sam is a fucking pussy and the Eric Northman I know, would never let some little Dr. Pussy stand in his way."

"You really should be a motivational speaker, Pam. For kids, too," I quipped before she threw a black shirt at me.

"Wear this, open-necked, with that black blazer you have, and those dark jeans. Last time you wore those she couldn't keep her eyes off you."

"How the hell do you know?"

"Hello? I have an inside track with her best friend… well, I haven't seen or spoken to her properly in a week. Which is why we need to go to this stupid dinner."

Amelia had been out of town for a little over a week taking care of her sick grandmother in Texas. She'd be attending the dinner for Thanksgiving here and even though she didn't want to admit it, Pam was excited to see her.

"You _lurve_ her."

"Shut up! I do not."

"Oh really? So, you're breaking out the Chanel perfume for no reason then? I know how much that shit costs—since I bought it for you—and I know you only wear it when you're looking for some action… which you know Ames will give you… So this is something more. You lurve her," I teased. She just glared.

"Yeah and the woman you love is currently going to be carving up turkey with a twat who doesn't deserve her. Which one of us is the lesbian here? ACT Northman."

By the time we'd gotten to the house, Pam had used every Dear Abby line she could on me regarding women and men and relationships, and why I needed one, and why it needed to be Sookie, and why she thought Sookie felt the same way and blah, blah, blah. I stopped listening at the last stop sign.

The house was busy; busier than it had been since Halloween, that's for sure. I noticed the larger dining table was in the living room—it had lived in the garage for months being of no use to us three. Now it was beautifully set with a table cloth I knew belonged to Sookie's Gran, six large white candles down the middle and an array of food that would make anyone's mouth water. Pam spotted Amelia almost immediately and they were off yapping away, leaving me on my own. I had been three steps from the kitchen, having greeted the majority of our neighbors on the way there… before I heard it.

"_Daddy!"_

Was it weird that it was still an amazing shock every time she called me that? She was standing by Sookie's side in a pink dress and little black patent ballet shoes. Her hair, now a tiny bit longer and curling slightly on the ends, was decorated with various clips. She took wonky steps toward me before I cut her off by scooping her up.

"Hey, pumpkin, you look beautiful. Kiss?" I asked and we did our usual quick smack on the lips with a loud 'muah' sound. She had always thought it was hilarious, and I had no idea why.

"Hey, Sook."

"You came," she smiled, stopping what she was doing at the sink.

"Yeah, well, I figured it was our first… with Jess I mean. So I wanted to be here." She looked beautiful too, though it wasn't until she took off her giant white apron that I saw exactly what she was wearing. While it wasn't her 'sex' dress, it was damn near close to it. Red, fitted, but family friendly… if you weren't mesmerized by how her ass looked in it, that is. Her hair was up and off her neck making it that much more difficult to not plant my lips there, until she moaned. Snapping out of my lust wasn't easy when she was looking at me like she was. Maybe Pam was right, maybe she did have a thing for fitted black shirts and worn-in jeans. She was gazing at my neck just like I was gazing at hers moments before. If I didn't know better, I'd have assumed we'd been taken over by a couple of vampires, the way we seemed to preoccupied with necks.

"You look good," she said, finally turning to stir whatever it was that was in her giant pot.

"You too. You smell good, too." I mumbled.

"What?"

"The food… Smells, smells good."

"Oh! Right, yeah, um it's for the kids, mostly. I mean, I know Jess will eat her dinner but some of the kids are fussy, so we're making mac and cheese as a backup. The turkey's almost done so we can sit anywhere, whenever. It's not formal."

"You've been busy." I noted the trays of food scattered around all available countertops. She wasn't kidding when she said there would be a ton of food. I'd never really had a traditional Thanksgiving. My mother wasn't big on cooking, and since we weren't American, she didn't think it counted. Pam and I usually worked Thanksgiving since her family lived out in New York and she didn't like many of them, at least, not enough to travel and eat with them. So this... this was a nice surprise.

What wasn't such a nice surprise was the arrival of Sam. He was talking with Maxine and her husband before he came into the kitchen—his smile faltering slightly when he saw me.

"Hey, Jessica!" he said after he'd said the same to both me and Sookie.

Jessica looked completely unimpressed. She was such a good child. Genius, really.

"Sam."

He handed Sookie a couple of bottles of wine and asked if he could help. Of course he would ask that.

Sookie told him that most everything was done and to just mingle and relax. He seemed to take the hint that she was busy and retreated to the living room. It seemed that every time I attempted to actually talk to her, someone or something happened to get in the damn way. Everyone was vying for the host's attentions with comments or questions. I'd have to wait until after dinner to maybe get her alone in the hopes of having the conversation that we needed to have.

The dinner was interesting. Sam was seated next to Tara, who was seated next to Sookie, who was seated next to me. Jessica was in her highchair wedged in between us both. Her pretty dress was covered in one of the biggest baby bibs I'd ever seen. The meal was delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection and everyone at the table seemed to agree. Small talk was tiring but everyone indulged. What else was there to do when you were stuck at a table with friends and basic strangers? Lafayette was waxing on about the meaning of colored candles by the time dessert rolled around, and as Sookie finished feeding Jessica, I offered to be the waiter. She smiled and sweetly accepted my offer. Something it seemed Sam didn't like very much, since I wasn't in the kitchen two minutes before he came in.

"Hey man."

"Hey."

"Need help?" he offered. His stony face told me he didn't want to, but Jesus, maybe he just WAS one of those nice guys.

"Uh, yeah grab those plates for the pie and I'll get the ice cream."

"Eric, can I ask you something?"

"Why do people always ask that question before they ask another question? It's annoying," I mused trying to find the knife I needed in the drawer. "Ask away," I said looking back to him.

"What's going on between you and Sookie?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

Nice.

"What's she told you?"

"So there is something?" He pushed his lips together in frustration.

"What did she tell you?"

"Nothing. That's the problem. She's shut down. And she's shut me right out. Things aren't right."

"Nothing's going on, Sam."

"But there was?"

"Not really any of your business," I snapped. I didn't like his tone.

With that, Sookie came in looking extremely apprehensive.

"Um, you two okay?"

"We're fine," Sam answered and I merely shrugged.

"You sure? I don't want trouble between you two today. Got that Eric?" she raised her brow to me, and of course, it would be my fault.

"We're just talking." I reasoned.

"Yeah, that's what worries me," she said, grabbing one of the uncut pies from the island before going back into the living room.

Sam continued, "Just give it up, man. Really, this hostility of yours is so unbecoming. Having you around upsets her. Can't you see that?"

"Is that right?"

"If you can't see that, then you're blind."

"I'm blind? Oh, that's rich."

He laughed, but there was a bitterness behind it.

"Get it through your head man: she doesn't want you. She chose me. I'm the one that's here with her; I'm the one she loves; the only reason you're here is because of Jessica, and we both know that. Give it up!" I wasn't going to have this argument with him—not in the house at least. I would keep my word and not cause a scene. So I walked him out to the backyard.

"Loves you? You're amazing, you know that? Kidding yourself to such a degree that you've convinced yourself she loves you. She doesn't love you, Sam. She's with you because she thinks she should be, but it's not what she wants. You're not what she wants, not deep down, and when she realizes that, you'll be gone. So don't get too comfortable."

"It's jealousy with you, isn't it? You can't stand that I'm the one that's with her. I'm the one that's with Jessica when you're not! I mean, I can't say I blame you. She's an amazing woman and Jessica is a wonderful kid. Like I said, she chose me and she'll continue to choose me, every night." He rubbed it in. Little bastard.

"Yeah, but not really _every night_, right Sam? In fact, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of nights that you're cock-blocked by your own girlfriend. You see, she might have chosen you now, but once was all it took for me." I raised a brow quickly and thankfully, he got the point I was making. "You see Sam, I have it on good authority that you… well, you're nice—a nice guy and a _nice _lay. Ouch, right? I mean, we all know what a woman really means when she says nice. She means _boring... _You fail to… hit the spot, quite literally. Or so I've heard."

His face changed. He'd gone pale, the cocky stance failing.

"I, on the other hand…" I grinned, "You _can_ tell though, can't you man? When she's faking it? Sookie's a great little actress but you have to know she's faking it. Or are you so self-involved you just don't give a damn? Is that how it is? As long as you're satisfied, to hell with her needs? Maybe that's why she came to me."

"She…"

"Yeah, and believe me, she didn't have to pretend a thing."

He stood there with clenched fists, and I swear, he was going to attempt a punch. If he hit me first, it was open season, but he didn't.

"Then why come back, huh? Why invite me here? If you where so … why?"

I shrugged. "She's a good person and deep down, she's not the type of woman that cheats. She felt bad, and like I said, you're the nice guy she thinks she should be with. But we both know differently."

"Know what? She should be with a douche bag like you?

"See it how you want, Sammy, I don't care about you." I took off down the lawn. "Oh, and _happy Thanksgiving."_

I went back to the bar. I had to. Had I not, I more than likely would have punched Sam's smug little face in, thus ruining Sookie's Thanksgiving. I didn't want that. We were open—on limited staff for the holiday—but some people couldn't stand their families and the extra cash was a good incentive to stay here and work. So they did.

I, on the other hand, walked straight through to my office and opened the bottle of Jack that was calling to me.

Three swift shots and the rage I was feeling began to gently subside. I hated him; I hated her; I hated the whole damn situation.

Well no, I didn't hate her. I fucking loved her and that was my problem. That's why I didn't get involved with women. They were game playing, mind-fucking, fucked up messes I just didn't need in my life.

Except that her, God help me, I wanted her in my life. But Sam was right, she'd chosen him even if neither of us could understand why. Until she woke up, I couldn't, nor would I, convince her to be with me. I'd never had to convince a woman to love me. I shouldn't have to, and I wasn't about to start with her.

Twenty minutes later I heard hard heels on the tile outside my office, swiftly followed by my door being swung open.

"You fucking bastard."

Sookie, and she was beyond pissed.

"Hello to you, too."

"How could you do it, Eric? Huh? Why?"

"I don't know."

"Don't give me that shit! You did it because you could, and because it gave you something to hold over him. You did it to hurt me."

"I didn't do it to hurt you!"

"Then why!"

"I don't fucking know why. Impulse?"

"Impulse!" Her eyes widened as she wiped away a tear before turning away from me and the door and walking closer to my desk. "Fine, you want the truth? Here it is. I didn't love Sam. There? Happy? I didn't love him but I tried to love him, and I couldn't. I wanted to, but every time I got close, there was just something in the way. That something was you. And you, you I can love, you I do love, but I'm so terrified of what that means! If I love you, and I allow myself to fall…what then? What happens when you get bored with me and want someone else? What happens when we break up? What happens to Jessica then? Does she become yet another statistic? Fuck that! Alcide and Hadley wanted the best for her… and a broken home is NOT what's best. So yes, I love you. Not sure when it happened, but it did, and I miss you SO much that sometimes, it actually hurts to see you and know you aren't coming home. And to see that Jess misses you just as much…" her voice broke. "When we slept together..." she rolled her eyes before wiping away another tear, "It was stupid and dumb, and the only time in my life I remember feeling so fucking alive it almost broke me."

"But you ran! You ran back to him."

"I WAS SCARED, OKAY? I saw how much you … I saw in your eyes how damn happy you were and that terrified me. It would have been so easy to just let go and let it happen but once I did, we'd be screwed. So I stopped us and I tried to run back to what I thought was safe and simple and right. Except it wasn't right at all. I couldn't look him straight in the face before I broke up with him, because I knew I'd cheated on him! Eric, before you I'd never even thought of cheating in a relationship before in my LIFE. And yet I did, with you, so easily…"

"Ever wonder why?"

"I was horny?" she deadpanned.

"Liar."

She didn't answer so I pushed her. Damn right I wanted to know why she had slept with me. It's not like forced her into it.

"I don't know why. I was tired of denying it, denying that I wanted you so much. Denying that I wanted to see if we... Well I was just sick of denying it."

God, I wanted to kiss her tears away so badly, but I wouldn't. Now wasn't the time for that at all.

"And after?"

"I told you, I freaked out." She wiped her tears away quietly.

"And now?"

"I don't know…"

Truth was, I didn't know either.

"Did Sam break up with you?"

She glared at me.

"I just want to know because if you're here just because he broke up with you, you can leave. I'm nobody's second choice, Sookie. I never have been and I sure as hell am not starting now."

"I…" She sighed a tired breath before she looked back to me. "I broke up with Sam, three weeks ago, Eric."

Oh. That I didn't know.

"He was only there today because … I don't know. I felt bad about the whole situation, okay? He's not a bad guy. No one deserves to be alone on Thanksgiving. So, I invited him for dinner with the rest of my friends, and you. Was it a smart move? Probably not, but I'm human. I'm full of fuck ups and I'm learning to accept that."

"Are you willing to talk this through with me, then?" I asked, finally sitting on the edge of my desk.

She smiled. "After all this, you still want to have that conversation?"

"Yeah, I do." I smiled back and she nodded, standing up and almost brushing up against me. I felt so on edge it was palpable.

"I do want to sort this out once and for all, Eric, I do, but I have to call Maxine to make sure Jessica is okay. I was so mad I marched right over to my car—in the pouring rain, might I add—to come… bitch you out. She had her; she still has her."

I looked around for mine and forgot that in my anger, my phone was across the room—smashed.

She simply raised her brow at me before smiling. "Temper?"

"Little bit."

"Charming," she sassed before she moved between my legs and reached up real quick and kissed me on the cheek.

"My phone is in the car. I won't be long."

"And then we'll… talk?" I asked reluctantly, not wanting her to step away.

"Yes, we will, we need to... and I guess anything else we feel like doing after that is fair game." She grinned wickedly before walking slowly out my office door.

Needless to say, that's not how I envisioned the conversation ending.

**SPOV:**

The roads were a mess. They had been for days. It made driving an absolute nightmare. The rain had just barely stopped and it was grating. I ran from the bar and unlocking the doors with a familiar beep from my car. I reached in to grab my cell and noticed the battery was dead, which forced me to get inside the car. I rooted around the glove compartment to find the charger to hook it up, taking note of the sound of the water bouncing off the cars as they swished by on the main road next to the bar. I finally got it charged up enough that I could turn it on and make the call. Maxine answered on the third ring, still at my place.

"Oh hi, honey. No need to worry. She and Hoyt have just tucked into dessert. I promise to have her nice and hyper for you when you get here. Why'd you go hollering out of here like that anyhow?"

"Long story, but I'm at Eric's bar. He and I have some… things to work out."

"Finally..." She sighed.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, sweetie… It's more than a little obvious you two have something a lot more than … what was the line? Co-parenting? Going on. Personally, I'm shocked it took you both so damn long."

"Oh…"

"So you go on and fix whatever needs fixin' to bring that man of yours back here where he belongs, you hear?"

"Uh, sure?"

"Excellent," I could hear her smiling. "I'mma just help myself to some of the ice-cream cake, if you don't mind?"

"No, not at all."

"Good, good... You take your time, dear."

"Oh, I don't think I'll be much longer—"

"No, really. You and Eric … take... your... time," she emphasized with a smile evident in her voice.

"Maxine! It's not like that." I looked up through the thundering rain beating down on the car and saw a blurry Eric standing with his coat over his head. As I waved to him from the car, I saw him moving. He was moving toward me but I heard a car breaking—the screech of the tires hitting the road was deafening—before I saw it. The car slid, the car … slid into Eric.

"Sure it's not honey, sure it's not."

My heart stopped as I hung up on Maxine, and lunged out of the car. The rain was pouring down even harder now; so hard that it was almost difficult to see. But I managed to see enough.

The red Audi had slid and smashed sideways into the wall of the bar. The wall Eric was in front of.

"ERIC?" I screamed.

With my phone still in my hand, I ran to him. There was a large gash on the side of his face, his arm was bleeding, his eyes were closed… and he wasn't breathing.

**A/N: Hey peeps! I reached 1,000 reviews on this baby the other day and it took me totally by surprise! So a biig giant Viking sized thank you for responding to this story in such a way, it's amazing to me! Since this only my second story, it's mindblowing! Lol! :D Yeeah, I left it on a little bit of a cliffy, and I'm not even a tiny bit sorry for that, we all need a little drama to spice things up don't we? Do you really think I'd kill this Eric? *raises brow at you*. Till next time, loves. Xoxox.**


	24. Chapter 24

**SPOV:**

Forever.

That's what it felt like, absolutely forever before the ambulance arrived. I managed to feel a pulse as the driver of the Audi got out—a shocked and shaking, Sophie.

She started to scream, and I wanted to reverse her car and run her over.

"Shut the fuck up, Sophie! Dial 911!" I threw her my cell phone while I ran and grabbed my coat from the car in an attempt stop the pouring rain from hitting Eric. Only, my coat was very small and in case no one noticed, Eric was a big man.

"It's okay… Okay, Eric, it's okay... everything's gonna be okay." I heard Sophie rhyme off what had happened to the operator and give them our location. When she hung up her hands were still shaking.

"Sookie, I didn't mean to. I swear I didn't. I was coming to the bar… I wanted to see him but my phone rang... it rang and the road was slippery, and I lost control of the car. I didn't even see him standing there."

"Just… shut up. Okay. Just. Go sit in the car, or something."

I looked at her and her forehead was bleeding, probably from where she hit her head on the steering wheel.

"Eric? Sweetie, can you hear me? I need you to listen to me, okay? If you can hear me, please just squeeze my hand or something, okay?" He was breathing now only, it was shallow and almost non-existent.

He didn't squeeze my hand. His forehead was still bleeding and we were both soaking wet. The patrons, as well as the staff, began to shuffle outside upon hearing the commotion. One of the waitresses, a hysterical girl named Tiffany, was screaming and crying. I told her to shut up and get us some blankets or something to keep us from getting even more soaked until the ambulance arrived. She didn't take too kindly to my tone with her, but frankly I didn't give a fuck. I tried to keep him warm, though it was impossible since I was in nothing but a dress and heels and the freezing rain hadn't let up at all. The ambulance finally arrived and when they loaded Eric up, I insisted on going with him. Sophie was seated in the back, being treated for shock and her cuts. She'd be fine.

Eric, on the other hand, was on oxygen and a heart monitor.

"How fucking fast were you driving, Sophie?" I aimed at her as she was getting cozy under her medical blanket.

"I don't know."

"Fast enough to skid off the damn road and into a building!"

"Miss, please calm down," the paramedic said, then went on to ask if I was injured, which I wasn't physically. Emotionally, I was pretty damn screwed.

By the time we got to the hospital, I was a shivering mess. Eric was taken in by two more doctors to the ER. Sophie was sent for stitches while I was taken by a male nurse to change into some scrubs he'd found for me. I was drowning in them, of course, but they were warm and dry and that's all that mattered. When they protested my entry to see, or find out about Eric, I told them the only thing I knew.

"He's my family; he's the father of my daughter."

They told me he'd fractured his shoulder on impact, as well as broken two ribs. With the head injury there was a cerebral edema—swelling on his brain- due to the impact and the lack of oxygen those first few minutes after the accident. The nurses tried to break it down into layman's English for me, but all I knew was my fingers were crossed that he'd come out of it okay. First things first, we needed him to wake up.

I'd been seated in the waiting area maybe half an hour when Pam came rushing through, throwing her umbrella to the side and embracing me in a hug. Very un-Pam-like.

"Anymore news?"

"No. They said they were waiting to see if the swelling goes down on his brain. If it doesn't, then they'll need to operate to relieve the pressure."

"I'm going to fucking kill that little bitch," she said taking a seat with me.

"I felt the same way but the cops came to take our statements and I do believe her, that it was an accident. Apparently there was an oil spill near the bar, and combined with the rain and how fast she was going was disaster enough. Team that with her being a complete idiot… and well…"

"Why was he even outside?"

"I was calling Maxine to check on the baby, and I guess he got tired of waiting on me and came looking for me."

"Jesus, impatient bastard. I'm gonna kick his ass, too," she said with a half smile. "He'll be okay, Sookie. He's strong."

"I hope so. I just… two hours ago I was so mad at him that I could spit. Then, then I just wanted everything to be good again, and it was on it's way… I told him I loved him."

Her eyes widened. "What about Dr. Boring?"

"Sam."

"I don't care."

I sighed. "I broke up with him shortly after Eric and I slept together. Then when Eric moved out, it was sort of the shock to my system I guess I needed. That, and I've never cheated on anyone. I think if you cheat, or want to cheat, then something's very wrong. And it was wrong with Sam."

"And you think it'll be right with Eric?"

"I want it to be. I want to be with him, properly, and not just for Jessica. I know no matter what he'll be there for her, but I want to be there for him. I want him to be there for me. I want us to be a family again. Only this time, honestly and open and true."

"How poetic." She smirked turning it into a genuine smile. "Did you tell him all this?"

I shook my head, no.

"I was going to. We were going to sit down and talk it all out. But then… Well…"

"Right."

Pam and I waited it out as long as we could before we broke down and went to the cafeteria. The coffee was awful and the food was even worse, but it killed some time if nothing else, and distracted us both from worrying—a little. She regaled me with stories of Eric and his adventures before last summer. How she'd moved to California for University—and to get as far away from her family as she could—and how she met Eric on one of his trips to see his mother. They'd become fast friends mainly because she said if she'd been straight, he'd have been just her type, at the time—grunge surfer guy with a naughty glint in his eye.

The idea of Eric on a surfboard was intriguing.

She told me how they'd decided to go into business together when she graduated with her business degree. She had wanted to go out on her own, but working with and for Eric had proved too much fun, and he had become like the brother she never had over the years. I could see that in their interactions with one another. It got me thinking of my own brother and how I never even saw him anymore.

By the time we'd gotten back to the waiting area, nothing had changed and everyone from Amelia, Lafayette, and Maxine called just to check up again. I'd called everyone when I'd arrived to let them all know what happened, and of course to make sure Maxine could keep Jessica until I got back. Thankfully, she was an amazing neighbor and babysitter.

By nine thirty, Pam and I were both drained and still waiting when one of the nurses came to talk to me.

"Miss Stackhouse?"

"Yes?"

"We've contacted Mr. Northman's emergency contact but it seems she lives out of state. You are family, correct?"

Sort of, right?

"We both are," I said nodding to Pam, who shocked the hell out of me by grabbing my hand.

"How is he? He's okay, right?" I asked.

"The swelling has shown signs of retreating but not as fast as the doctor would like, so we took him into surgery."

"Oh my God." Pam said, "And?"

"And it went well. We were able to alleviate the pressure successfully and Mr. Northman's vitals all look promising."

"So… basically yes he's going to be, okay? He's going to wake up?"

"He should. We've done everything we can for him, and like I said, all the signs are currently pointing to him making a full recovery. Other than that, he has a few bruised ribs as well as a few breaks that we'll need to be looking at again, but the worst is over."

"Oh, thank God," I exhaled, slumping against Pam. "When can we see him?"

"Well, he's in recovery right now. He won't be awake from the anaesthetic for a couple more hours. You can see him then if you'd like."

If I'd like? He was kidding right?

"Yes, definitely. Thank you."

He turned to leave, leaving Pam and I sitting on those incredibly uncomfortable chairs again.

"You should go home for a few hours, maybe sleep?" Pam suggested.

"No, I want to be here. I mean, I should probably go check on Jessica I know, but she's in safe hands with Maxine and I just… I don't want to leave."

She nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go get us some real food and bring it back here, and I'm going to get you some real clothes. Hospital scrubs aren't hot on anyone."

"George Clooney rocked them sexily," I commented.

"Fine, one person in the world rocks scrubs. You aren't him. Any preference?"

"Jeans, and my black cashmere sweater. They're on my bed. I was going to change into them after dinner…"

"Okay. I'll be back soon."

I curled myself up on the chair, attempting to watch the television that was on in the waiting room. I'd managed to zone out for twenty minutes when the nurse came to talk to me again.

"We've moved him to the ward now. There's one other person in there, but he's a coma patient."

"That's no problem. Thank you so much," I said as he led me to the sterile, white room. That hospital smell was never less appealing than that moment.

Eric was laying on the bed, still and pale. He was also missing half his hair on one side.

"We had to shave it to operate. He wasn't too attached was he?" The nurse smiled at me.

"He'll get over it, if it means he gets to live."

Once he left, I walked to the chair beside the bed. I didn't know if I should talk or just let him enjoy his drug induced sleep. But I thought what it might be like if I were the one laying there, and If i could hear and no one talked to me... I'd feel so alone. I didn't want Eric to feel alone, so talk I did.

"Hi. Thank you for not dying." Was the first thing I said before I burst into tears—tears I'd been holding in since I saw him laying on the ground outside of his bar.

"It's stupid to cry, right? A stupid girl thing to do, I guess," I said before I grabbed his hand. He was colder than he usually was.

"I have been so stupid, Eric, and for that, I'm sorry. I haven't really treated you like I should have, mostly out of fear. You were that guy, you know? That hot, cocky guy I thought I'd never mesh with. On our first date, it was all I could think, and it was mostly the reason why I was such a bitch to you. I didn't think you should like me, so I made sure you didn't. Stupid, huh? It was pretty stupid, but all the other men in my life had sort of ingrained that message in my head. After that, I stopped thinking I deserved what I really wanted, never mind actually getting it… But then fate happened, or kismet, or whatever you wanna call it, and we got thrown together and … Jesus, I was _so_ scared. There were so many things against us, and stacked up on us when it happened... Losing Alcide and Hadley... it made me not want to get too attached to anything; to anyone. I think it's why it took so long for Jess to warm to me. It was because as much as I knew I should love her and embrace it all, the fear kept me back. I did love her, I just held it in, and it's like she knew. Then everything happened with us and you left, and it was just her and me. I wasn't so scared of her anymore, and once I let go and let it out… She embraced me. Freaky, right?"

I was rambling. I knew that much, but I was tired and emotional and well, I was surrounded by two guys in a coma. How annoying could I be to them?

"I'm tired of keeping it in; how I feel about you. I know I've said it once today, but that was in an entirely different mood. But I meant it. I do love you. And I want you to wake up so we can see if we can do this thing and not screw each other over. It's a realistic goal… one I think we could work on… if you wanted."

His finger twitched, then his hand, and then his eyes flickered.

"Eric?"

He was groggy, but he spoke. "Schedule," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"What?" I asked scooting closer to him.

He coughed once then licked his lips. Movement! It was a start!

"Will there be a schedule?"

I realized he meant for us trying to be together. He was mocking my need for a structure! He had sarcasm! He was still in there.

"You know, I've spent hours worrying your sarcastic ass might die, and now you're mocking me?"

He coughed again, this time attempting to smile.

"It's what I'm here for," he said, his voice still gruff and low. "What the hell happened, Sook?"

Thank God, he remembered who I was.

"Sophie being a idiot, that's what happened. There was water on the roads, and an oil spill not far from the bar. That, plus her A.D.D. attention span and your unlucky as fuck timing… you ended up smooshed."

"How smooshed?"

"Well, they had to drill into your head to keep you alive for one."

"Explains the headache," he said with a frown.

"And you have a few breaks—shoulder, ribs…and ankle."

"Shit. Trade me in for a new model. Save yourself," he said in jest. I just squeezed his hand harder.

"Not on your life, Northman. I want you, broken bones, half shaved head, holes in your brain and all. Got it?"

He smiled, before he frowned, and it was obvious he was in a great degree of pain.

"I'm gonna go get the nurse or someone, okay? I'll see about getting you some pain meds or something."

"No… Stay for a little while." he said, gripping my hand. Stay I did.

**EPOV:**

I paced around my office. Wondering just what the hell she and Maxine could be talking about. I was anxious, excited and scared. I was in love. I wanted so badly to hash everything out with her, once and for all, with no interruptions. I felt like I was waiting forever before I decided to go look for her.

Bad idea.

The rain was falling heavier than I'd recalled in the week of non-stop hail, but I could see her form through the raindrop covered windows of her car. She was talking, and she waved to me. That's when I felt the thump, and not a whole lot else.

Like Alice down the rabbit hole, I fell into dizzy sensations of pain before everything went black.

The next thing I recalled was Sookie's voice.

"_I'm tired of keeping it in; how I feel about you. I know I've said it once today, but that was in an entirely different mood. But I meant it. I do love you."_

I knew I couldn't be dead because I could feel the throbbing pain in my head and I figured heaven should be pretty pain-free. That's when I felt her warm hand in mine and I tried to grab it. It seemed like all my movements were slowed down. I wanted to do them faster, but somehow my body wouldn't cooperate. And then it did, slowly.

I was in various amounts of pain all over my body. Whatever the hell happened had hit me badly.

She told me when I asked and after the initial shock of wondering why the hell Sophie was even coming to see me... I told her that after how she treated Sookie, I never wanted to see her spoiled ass again. It seems some people just can't take a hint.

I reluctantly let her go that night, but she was dead tired and looked like she needed a world of sleep. Between her and Pam, I was exhausted myself. The pain medication helped a ton in letting sleep take me.

Later I was awakened by my nurse—her name was Ali, and she was from Texas. She told me how well my surgery had gone and that they'd been very happy with my progress overnight. She blushed when I thanked her. Not bad for a broken dude with a half head of hair.

Sookie insisted we go the full whack and shave it all off. My hair had been various lengths over the years from a grunge inspired chin-length, to preppy parting, to midway between the two, but never a buzz cut. Maybe it would be a good thing? I decided to go for it and by the next afternoon I was able to sit up, hair-free.

Sookie came around the door with Jessica—at my insistence. I'd wanted to see her and hoped she missed me just a little bit. Her eyes widened.

"You hate it?"

"No! Not at all. I … wow." She wasn't the only one shocked, since it took Jessica a second to even recognize me. She clung to Sookie, so unsure of who was speaking to her at first.

"Dada?"

I nodded and smiled and she scrunched her tiny brows as she looked me over before petting my face.

"Boo-boo?" She touched my stitches.

"Yep, daddy had a little accident."

She looked to Sookie who took over.

"There was an accident when Daddy was gone, sweetie, but look! See? The doctors made it _all_ better!"

"Hurts?" she asked me.

And I told her no. Why worry the kid?

It took her a little while but she warmed to me again, carrying her book and her favorite Bunny—who was called Bunny. As it goes, she decided she wanted a cuddle from me.

Sookie was apprehensive and told her no, but I had one good arm I could use. Sookie laid her on the bed beside me softly. She was very careful as she noted my other arm in a cast and how my leg was all stitched up. Her little eyes were wide, as her hands went to my hair, or rather, my lack of hair.

"_Ohh..." _she said, rubbing it before she smiled.

"I think she likes it," Sookie commented.

Jessica opened her book to read, or as she called it, 'weed.' Personally, I thought it was mostly just pretty pictures to her.

"Do _you_, though? That's the question. I mean, I can't have my girl hating my looks, now can I?"

She blushed before she laughed.

"No, believe me, I like. I more than like. I mean, with this and the cuts and scruff? It's a little sexy."

"Really?"

"Mmm. Lil bit," she agreed before offering me some water. I declined.

"The doctors said you should be allowed home in the next day or so… I mean… you are coming home, right?"

I hadn't really thought about where I'd go when I got out.

"If you want me to."

"I never wanted you to leave in the first place."

"But you understand why I did?"

"I do now. I just… well, it's your home. Not some stupid apartment or Pam's place. You belong at home… with me." She smiled.

I loved how good that made me feel, and her smile assured me she was being totally honest in her request. If she wanted me with her, then that's just where I'd have to be.

_Home._

**A/N: Now really, did you doubt I'd kill him? Tut tut. I'm evil, I'm not THAT evil (…yet.)**

**So sweetness was sweetness, and I figured after the last chapter we all deserved a little break from the angst. And I hate to say it, but I think we're winding down on Life, accidental. **

**There maaay be a sequel though. :D**


	25. Chapter 25

**SPOV:**

Getting Eric home was a challenge. After the doctors had given him the all clear and said he was on the road to recovery, he was let out. But he was still pretty smashed up. Crutches were necessary for his messed up ankle, and since he'd broken a small bone in his shoulder, he could realistically only use one crutch. Between that and his constant headaches, he wasn't all that pleasant to be around the first few days back at home. I knew he was more mad at himself than anyone else. He wasn't used to laying around, unable to really fend for himself. We'd offered to move one of the guest beds into the den, but since the bathroom was upstairs, he was pretty much confined to the second floor. He hated it, and I can't really say I blamed him. Eric was an active guy, so being unable to be himself really bothered him. He was asked if he wanted to press charges on Sophie, but he declined. He said they couldn't really charge her for stupidity, unfortunately, and he did believe her when she said it was an accident. She'd turned up a little more than a week after he'd gotten out of hospital to apologize to both of us, for everything. She'd put the restaurant up for sale since it was either that or the bank took it back. Her dad was furious, to say the least, but I didn't care. It wasn't my problem anymore, and neither was she. So when she told us she was returning to Paris, it was the first time in my life I'd ever felt sorry for an _entire_ country before.

He'd been home and adjusting for a almost ten days when she showed up, and when I say she… I mean Eric's mother.

Olivia Northman Cole arrived on a Saturday morning. I was still in my pyjamas, having spent the morning in bed with Jessica and Eric. I went down to answer the door—my hair was piled on top of my head and Jessica was in bed watching cartoons with Eric. She arrived with flawless hair, what looked like a vintage Chanel suit and very in season black Gucci coat, as well as her six pieces of LV luggage. Her height and her presence made me feel like a very tiny homeless person.

"You must be Sookie," came her very posh, very English accent. "It's so nice to finally meet you," she said as she air kissed both my cheeks. "I came as soon as I got the message on my machine. How is Eric?"

"Um, wasn't that more than a week ago?"

"Yes…? I had a charity luncheon that I just couldn't miss... But as soon as that was done I hopped on a plane to be here."

Oh, well that made sense, right? Charity _before _your son.

"Right. Well, he's upstairs," I told her as I led her up the staircase and into Eric's room.

"My goodness, Eric what did you do to your hair?" Was the first thing she said to him. Not exactly the best opener.

"Oh, God! Hi, Mom..." He moved to sit at the edge of his bed as she came and hugged him. Jessica looked very confused.

"Hi, Sweetie... This must be Jessica. Hi Jessica, I'm your Nana Livvy."

Jessica just quirked her brow. My thoughts exactly, Jess.

"How old is she?"

"Nineteen months. Um, I'll leave you guys to it."

"No!" Eric said panicked, before he calmed his tone. "No, um... could you maybe take Mom downstairs and I'll catch up?"

"Eric, the doctor told you to try and stay off your feet."

"I know, but really I think everyone would be more comfortable… downstairs."

By everyone, he meant him.

"Fine... Olivia would you like a cup of coffee?"

"I'll take some tea if you're making it, lovey."

Lovey? How British.

"Sure. Jess, you wanna come?"

Nosy little thing that she was, she held up her arms to me, her eyes never leaving "Nana Livvy."

"What a charming house. It really is beautiful. Your late cousin had wonderful taste, Sookie."

"Uh, yeah I guess she did. Do you take sugar?"

"Two, and a drop of milk please."

"Jessica, oh aren't you a cute little thing indeed," she said coming over to her high chair to tickle her cheek. Jessica wasn't a surly baby, and she usually took well to strangers. But she seemed to be sussing out her new Nana.

"Do you have any biscuits?" she asked when I gave her, her tea.

I hadn't baked in days.

"Biscuits?"

"Yes. For the tea, dear."

I just looked at her. "You mean cookies?"

"Cookies? Well I'm not so fond of chocolate chipped ones, but I suppose they'd do."

"No, cookies… they're not biscuits. They're called cookies here."

"If you say so dear. Would Jessica like a biscuit? Would you, sweetie?"

"Cookie," I corrected and she just laughed again.

"Fine, cookie. Even though technically we speak English, and since we've been speaking it before Americans … our definitions are correct."

"Yeah, well, I speak the American version of English."

"As butchered as it is," she commented.

"And I'm just fine with our cookies."

She smiled. "You're a feisty one, aren't you? I can see why my son is so taken with you."

"Eric doesn't talk about you much, but I was under the impression you both didn't talk often?"

"We don't," she said in a clipped tone. "My son has this deluded idea that after his father died I suddenly became the Wicked Witch of Rodeo Drive or something by forcing him to come here, and when I got remarried … it was a strain. So no, we don't talk often, but he and my father converse quite regularly, via email. So he keeps me abreast of Eric's life. Vicariously."

"Oh."

"I'm sure you've seen by now just how pigheaded my son can be when he sets his mind to something."

"Oh, no, I think he and I are both guilty of that."

"I see. You two are a couple now, I assume?"

"Why would you assume that?"

"Well, there is a level of comfort I can see, one you only have with someone you've been intimate with… and it's written all over both of you."

I blushed.

"Mom that's enough." I heard from the door as a haggard looking Eric hobbled into the kitchen for the first time since he'd gotten home.

"We're just talking, Eric. Forgive me for wanting to know a little more about your life."

"I think you know plenty," he said as I poured him a cup of coffee before he asked for it. He smiled in thanks.

"So, how are you healing?" she asked him.

"Well enough. The surgery went well. It's why I've got a buzz cut mom; they cut into my brain."

She gasped.

"Oh, darling…" she looked to me then. "They didn't tell me on the phone message just how bad it was. I assumed it was a small … what do they call it here, Eric? A fender lender?"

"Fender bender," he corrected as I hid my smile.

"Right. But Jesus… But, you're in one piece and that's what matters."

"Careful mom, you almost sound like you care."

She and I both chided him at the same time with a sharp call of his name.

"_Eric!"_

"What?" He looked at me. "Oh, Sookie, don't let her fool you, she's only here because she feels guilty and nothing more. Mom, as you can see, I'm fine. Sookie's fine and so is Jess. You're not really needed here."

"Eric, you're being so rude," I told him and he just rolled his eyes.

"You don't know her like I do, Sookie. Trust me, this is a guilt trip. For example, Mom, will you be staying with us?" he asked as if he knew fine well what the answer would be.

"Well, no I … I booked into the Hilton in the city."

"See?"

"Eric…" I said not fully understanding why he was being this harsh.

"Right. So you came to check up on me, and as you can see, here I am alive and not so well right now. But I'll be fine. You can go back to L.A."

His mother shrunk a little in her seat and I felt bad for her. Sure she was a little snobbish, but she did get on a plane and come all the way here to see him. That had to count for something, right? It was the thought, if nothing else.

There was an incredibly awkward silence before she stood up. "Sookie, would you be a dear and call me a taxi please?"

"Uh, sure. Where are you going?"

"The airport."

_Ouch._

"Oh."

Eric just rolled his eyes, and honestly he was acting like Jessica, who wasn't even two yet. I wanted to smack him.

She walked out of the kitchen smoothing out the skirt of her dress.

"Eric, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Don't, okay. You don't know her."

"Do _you_? I mean, come on, she's your mother."

"Exactly."

"How would you like it if Jessica reacted this way toward me in thirty years, huh? You'd be livid. Look, okay so, I don't know the whole story here, clearly. But she did come all the way here just to see if you were okay. That has to count, right? And, really, I'd like to get to know her a little bit. Maybe let Jessica get to know her Nana." I guilt tripped him, of course, but honestly he really was being an ass about this.

"You just had to lay it on like that, huh?" He relented.

"Doesn't Jess deserve to get to know her?"

"I guess…"

"Good." I smiled.

"Olivia?" I called out and a few seconds later I heard her heels on the tile before her head peeked around the door.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to stay here, with us for a few days?"

"Sookie, what?" Eric asked and I just ignored him.

Her face brightened as she smiled. Well, as much a smile as she could manage with what I assumed was a shit load of botox.

"Excellent! If you'll excuse me, I'm going to make myself a little more presentable," I said motioning to my Snoopy pjs. "I'm sure you both have a lot of … catching up to do. Eric," I raised my brows at him. "Be. Nice..." I whispered to him in passing.

I exhaled a breath as I got to my bedroom before changing into some dark skinny jeans, a long blue sweater, and pulled on my black ankle booties. I brushed out my hair before I tied it back up into a messy ponytail again. Being in the presence of Olivia made want to look as pretty as I could. I wanted to make a good impression, and whether or not Eric cared what she thought, I did. So I applied some light day makeup, just enough to make a difference to my skin, focusing on making my eyes look big and natural. A little clear lip gloss and some perfume and I was good to go. My bed was still made. I hadn't slept in it since Eric got home. We hadn't done much more than kiss, but it was comforting to both of us to have the other there. It also seemed silly to be sleeping across the hall when all I wanted was to snuggle up next to him—which I had done, and I loved every second of it. His pain meds had kept him pretty out of it for the first few days, but he was improving everyday and needing less and less meds, too. It was all very promising.

I had next to no idea what Eric's issues were with his mother, but she didn't seem like a big, bad ogre to me. Since she was essentially the only family Eric had, I would have liked to develop some kind of relationship with her, be it good or bad.

By the time I got downstairs again, she had shrugged the jacket of her suit off and was holding Jessica out by the pool. Eric had made his way to the living room and he wasn't looking too hot.

"You okay?" I asked coming to sit next to him, as he slung his good arm around me pulling me next to him.

"This is a bad idea, Sookie."

"All I'm asking is for you to give her a shot."

"I've given her a shot, over and over again. And every time she messes it up."

"Like, how?"

"Like marrying a guy she barely knew _months _after my dad died. Like, moving us to a fucking strange country not even a year after he died. Like, choosing her new husband time and time again over her kid for the sake of making _her _life easier. Like, leaving her sixteen-year-old son to fend for himself while she moved across the damn country for her husband's new job, because again, that mattered more than what I needed."

Well, that sure explained _a lot _about Eric Northman and his issues with women.

"You told me you wanted to stay here. You seemed mature enough, Eric," we heard from the hallway. We turned to see Olivia—a very forlorn look on her face—standing with Jessica. Jessica was just fascinated by her earrings. They were huge.

"Mom… I…"

"No. Don't. It's good to finally know what you think of me. I asked you to come with me; you refused. You were old enough to …"

"What? Fend for myself? Mom, I was _sixteen. _Just because I could fend for myself didn't mean I should have had to!"

"You refused! Because you hated him, and you refused, I thought I was doing you a favor. You both didn't get along so… I thought it was what was best for everyone."

"Including you, I'm sure. Why have to deal with the annoying teenager putting a crimp in your lifestyle?"

"That's not true! I wanted you there with us. I asked you every time I called, but you still refused!"

"Mom… I don't want to talk about this, not now."

"Well, tough. We are talking about this."

Wow, Eric was more like his mother than he realized. It was like watching a train wreck.

"If I was such a horrible mother Eric, why didn't you tell me what you thought? You seem to have no problem voicing your opinions now."

"Yeah, well, call it the near death experience wake up call."

"I see…" She looked embarrassed, and I can't say I blame her. "Sookie, maybe me staying here isn't such a good idea after all…"

"Nonsense, Eric is just being… well, for lack of a better term, Eric is being a toddler right now. So you, Jessica and I are going out for lunch."

"We are?" she asked.

"Yes. We are. Get your coat," I said, taking Jessica from her to get her dressed as Olivia went to the kitchen again.

"Why are you leaving? Didn't the doctor say I wasn't to be left alone? What if I fall?" He almost pouted.

"You're acting so fucking awful right now, Eric, and until you grow up and realize you can't talk to your mother that way, we're leaving. We're going to lunch and maybe do some shopping, and you are going to sit here and think about what you've just said."

"Stop treating me like Jessica, Sookie. I'm not a child."

"Then stop fucking acting like one. God. Where is the Eric I know and love? Did they drill all that lovely kindness out of that brain of yours? When he comes back, so will we." I poked him gently in the chest.

"Sookie—"

"No. Call me when you snap out of this shit fit of yours," I said, still mad at him. But I didn't want him to think I was totally against him, so I kissed him on the cheek softy. "I'll bring you back something pretty," I laughed.

"This isn't funny."

"Damn right it's not. She's your mother, and she's the only damn mother you're ever gonna have. Think about that."

**EPOV:**

Seeing my mother walk into my bedroom that morning was just as big a shock as I could have gotten. She was the last person I ever expected to see. I wasn't exactly thrilled to see her, given that she and I hadn't spoken directly in… well, a long time. I was sure Niall was behind her little trip out here from L.A., and I didn't like it—not one bit. She and I had agreed to disagree about our relationship a very long time ago. It suddenly felt like I was teenager again and my frustrations over our relationship bubbled to the surface almost immediately. Hearing her talk to Sookie, so flippant about how I was pigheaded... Even after all this time, she still took no blame for how fucked up things were between us. It made me see red. Sookie didn't understand it. How could she? She didn't really remember her mother, and she'd had a near blissful relationship with her grandmother. I understood why she was so shocked at how I was behaving. Mainly because my mother could turn the victim whenever it suited her. I hated that Sookie had to find out how fucked up things were between my mother and I, and so soon into our relationship, too. This was definitely a six month to a year bombshell. Not a couple of weeks.

Sookie and I had been getting closer. Not as close as I would have liked, though and thanks to my various injuries, sex really was the last thing they advised. But we had taken some steps to becoming more and more intimate. There was no sex, but she and I were sleeping together. Making out was torture since we always got close, but no cigar. Like I said, it would have sucked. I could barely breathe without there being some degree of pain, so the idea of sexing Sookie like I desperately wanted was so far away. And it was killing us both. As much as we ignored that want, it also allowed us to get to know each other all over again. We'd spent nights just talking, and as queer as it sounds, I loved it. Little things like tidbits from her childhood, how she got various tiny scars, why she hated tomatoes but loved ketchup… it was the little things I loved finding out.

But she took my mothers side, and that annoyed me. We were meant to be a team—Jessica, Sookie, and I—and suddenly Hurricane Olivia comes in and fucks that all up. She chastised me like a child, and I knew I was behaving extremely irrationally… but honestly, I was glad they left me alone when they did. It gave me time to think, and I knew on some level, she was right. My mother was the only mother I was going to have. But really, how many chances do you give someone to love you before you just give up? My anger with her was something I'd held onto for a long time. It wasn't going to disintegrate in seconds just because it was something Sookie didn't approve of.

They'd been gone a few hours and I was coping a lot better around the house than I imagined, when I got a text from Sookie.

"_Are you sure Pam isn't really your sister? Your mother sure shops like her. Lol. Love you, but pull your head out of your fine ass. Sookie xx."_

I smiled and text back. "_Head from ass extraction underway. I'd like a chocolate covered pretzel if you're at the mall, thanks. I'm sorry about before but I'm working on it. Love you, too."_

I called Pam and informed her that my mother was in town. It both thrilled and terrified Pam. Pam and my mother shopped together—they were shopping ninjas. One time they went to New York on a whim and my mother bought her a Chanel bag when we'd just opened the business. From then on she adored my mother on one level, but on the best friend level, she was on my side with her shitty mothering skills. She told me since I was a parent myself now that maybe, just maybe, I should think about what it would feel like if Jessica ever shunned me for my shitty life decisions when she became our age. Basically retelling what Sookie had told me but with a Pamela spin on things. I knew they were both right because the thought broke my heart and since I figured I had enough broken things in my body at the time, it was the one thing I could maybe fix myself.

The very least I could do was try, right?

**A/N: More issues than Rolling Stone, that family, huh? What do we think of Olivia & Eric's relationship? Is there hope? I kinda like her, I can't lie. Again, thank you all so much for the review love last chapter, but instead of responses I figured you'd all much rather I worked on a new update. I hope I'm right? :D **


	26. Chapter 26

**SPOV:**

Eric's mother was, in a word, exhausting. Not just in the speed with which the conversation jumped from one topic to another, but the woman could shop as an Olympic sport and get all the gold medals. How her feet weren't killing her in those six inch heels was beyond me.

"He's right, you know."

"About what?"

"Me. I was a rubbish mother to him, long before his father died. I was so young when I met James and when we had Eric it was wonderful, but babies don't come with instructions."

"Tell me about it," I smiled.

"I loved him and I loved his father, but Eric was always daddy's boy, and I was just silly mummy," she said, sipping her coffee. "I feel like they indulged my personality but never really understood it."

The personality I'd gotten a tiny glimpse of that day was one of mass contradictions. She was a lady, but she also had this wickedly dirty sense of humor. She had a kindness—the same kindness Eric had—that you could almost see behind the eyes. She was incredibly articulate, or perhaps it was just the posh English accent fooling me.

"I was scared of ending up alone and miserable after James died. It's why when I met Andrew it was like the light at the end of a very dark tunnel… In an ideal world I would have known how to be a better mother _and_ a wife, but I didn't. Eric had always been very self-aware and self-reliant. Much like his father… By the time we were to move to Los Angeles, he seemed so grown up already, and I just assumed that he didn't need me."

"I'm sorry."

"For what, dear? It's not your fault," she smiled.

"I know, I just… you're obviously upset about how this all turned out, just as much as he is. It's not something anyone should feel."

She sighed. "Sometimes it felt like he was my parent, you know? That's when I knew I'd failed completely. If he hates me for our past, I'm not really sure how I can make him stop hating me. He's entitled to after everything, I suppose."

I felt stuck and horrible. I really shouldn't have rushed judgment of Eric's behavior toward his mother. Just because I never really had a chance to have a mother didn't mean all relationships had to be this ideal I had in my head.

I decided to try and steer the subject elsewhere.

"He's a wonderful father."

"I don't doubt that. He swore after the … what did he called it…? The 'cluster-fuck' of a relationship he and I had that if he was ever to have kids, they'd come first. Though I don't think he factored in just how difficult relationships can be, especially when you have children. How are you two coping?"

Were we really coping? The relationship was still extremely new.

"Well, technically, we've only been together officially for a little over a week. Before that, we were just focusing on not killing each other or losing the baby at the supermarket, or something."

She laughed, "She's a curious little thing, isn't she?" nodding to a sleeping Jessica in her stroller.

"She is. Hadley was the same. She needed to know things, or see inside things she shouldn't. Even when we were kids, she was always getting into some kind of trouble."

"My father tells me Jessica's father was Eric's best friend? I can't imagine what you two must have gone through those first few weeks. I had no idea…"

Cringe.

She had no idea because Eric didn't call her to tell her.

Olivia seemed to share Pam's philosophy for life. If you shopped, life was better. She proved this by buying an extraordinary amount of toys for Jessica—even when I objected. She told me it might be her one shot to get to spoil Jessica, depending on whether or not Eric would allow her to be around Jess.

That thought made me sad and I hoped it wouldn't come to him 'banning' her from Jessica's life. Both of us had very little in the way of actual family. The last thing we should have been doing was shutting them out.

It made me think of Jason again. He and I had our differences. He loved the bottle and a party more than his family and after Gran passed, it only got worse. I hadn't shut him out, but in not reaching out to him, it was almost as if I had. I felt that twinge of guilt again—bothering me like it did when it snuck up on me.

By the time we got back to the house it was after five, and already turning dark. I showed Olivia to the guest room at the back of the house. It was the biggest room after the master bedroom, but too far away from Jessica's room for either Eric or I to consider using it at the time we moved in. She seemed happy enough and told me she was going to lie down for a little while.

I left Jessica playing happily on her bedroom floor with her array of new toys before I tiptoed gently into Eric's room to find him sleeping half in, half out of his covers on his bed. I crawled in next to him and snuggled as close as I could as gently as I could. He took a deep breath before he kissed the top of my head.

"You're back."

"I am."

"She here?"

"Yeah, she's laying down for a while."

"Oh. You survived then?" he said, using his good arm to pull me closer to him.

"I did. I also heard a few things today that I hope you give her the chance to tell you—things that I think might help you both."

"Sookie, look, I know you mean well, but—"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Butting in, reacting the way I did before. You were right. I couldn't understand your relationship because I never had a mom to disappoint me, or to get mad at. Well, I got mad plenty, but I was a little kid, so it doesn't really count. Having Gran, it's not the same as having your own mother raise you. So you're right, I have no idea what it's like to have a parent disappoint you like she has disappointed you growing up… I don't want you doing anything here that you don't want to do to. So you want her to leave? She'll leave. You don't want her around Jessica? Then, that's up to you. She's your mom, at the end of the day, but could tell you what I think?"

"Don't you always?"

I smiled.

"Ah, you know me so well." I kissed him on the cheek. "I just think that whatever you decide, that the anger you've been holding in all this time, it's time to maybe let that go. Or try to at least."

"Is this therapy talking?"

"A little. Doctor Ellis is great. She doesn't feel like a shrink at all. She feels like a friend."

"Who you're paying a shit load of money to listen to your problems."

"Yes. That's true," I laughed. "But, unlike my biased friends who love me in life, she actually tells me the honest truth about what's going on up here," I tapped my head, "and in here," I tapped my heart. "And how sometimes one gets confused with the other and we drive ourselves nuts."

"But I've gotten so good at hating her, I'm not really sure how else to feel."

"Okay, that's… a little… scary. But, understandable I guess. I don't know, Eric. I'm not saying you fix this in a matter of hours, or days or weeks. I'm saying, take the step to want to make things … better than they were, or are."

He sighed again before looking down at me. "It's like my brain knows you're making sense, and wants to do it, but the rest of me just doesn't know how."

"And that's okay. For now, how about we just try and get through dinner?"

"Do we have to?"

"If you're a very good boy, there might be a surprise in it for you … after."

He pouted at me. "You're treating me like Jessica again."

I snaked my hand up his shirt, raking my nails up and down his chest. "Trust me, sweetie I'd never treat Jessica like this."

And he got my meaning.

"Oh. _Oooh_..." he said with a shy smile. "If you insist."

"I just might," I said kissing him, letting myself go completely into the kiss, just as Jessica stumbled into the bedroom like a tiny drunk person.

"Dadda! See?" she said dragging her new plush toys in behind her. One was a tiny horse, the other was a unicorn, and a princess. I had no idea the theme of these toys but they were soft and brightly colored. She loved them so far.

I lifted her up onto the bed between us so she could show us her new toys.

"Dis pwetty, see?" she said, petting the princesses long brown wool hair. She was kind of wonky looking if you asked me, but to a toddler, she was stunning.

"Do you like Nanna Livvy?" he asked her. Now if she knew what he was asking really though, was another story.

"She pwetty," she said still looking at her toys. We didn't know if she meant them or Olivia. It didn't seem to matter.

"I'm not cooking. I know it's probably not the best impression to make on …your mother, but I can't. I'm too tired. So, we can just order some dinners from that new Italian restaurant in town... Amelia and Pam ate there the other night and swore by it. She eats Italian, right?" I almost said 'future in-laws' but way to jump that gun, Sookie. You've been dating a week!

"Waiters, store staff, Italian people in general, sure," he scoffed. "I don't know, Sookie. You've spent more time with her today than I have in two years so… you'd know better than I would right now."

I sighed, not really sure what else I could say at that point. "How are you feeling anyway?"

"Fine, I guess. My head still hurts but I don't know if that's the giant drill through my skull or the mother in the other room. The meds are helping, I just... I don't like them. They make me woozy. It feels wrong, out of control."

"Yeah, they suck… but hopefully you can wean off them soon and the sick feeling will go away. In the meantime, we eat. What do you want?"

**EPOV:**

After Sookie, Jess and my mother left, it struck me as odd to be home alone—or home at all really. I'd let the apartment that I'd found go. I'd moved what little things I had moved out, back in again. And Sookie and I were dealing with our feelings, slowly but surely. I knew things had to change where my mother was concerned. She had tried over the years to include me I guess, but being the angry teen into my twenties and then my thirties that I was, I shunned her invites for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays. I knew she wanted to kiss ass, but I wasn't having it. I hated people who kissed ass just so they could sweep everything under the rug and pretend like nothing happened. So, I'd decline, and then get a sharply worded email from Niall asking me why I'd upset my mother. It was a vicious cycle I couldn't break. Yes, on the one hand I wanted things to be better, I always had. What kid doesn't want to have a good, solid relationship with his mother, really? But on the other, did I really want to deal with all her melodramatic Hollywood lifestyle Beverly Hills bullshit? No, I didn't. I knew Sookie was acting from a place of concern, but really, she had no idea what life was like with her as kid. It felt like I was her parent, not the other way around sometimes. Even with her husband, stick up his ass Andrew, she still relied heavily on me for emotional support… unfair as it was. I looked at it as my job to take care of her. When my dad died, I was all she had. So, I guess it stung me to know that when she found Andrew it was like she forgot about my dad and by extension, me. That's when I started to resent her, and him, and this whole mess of a life he was dragging us into. It's not that he's bad guy, because he's not. But to a teenager with a attitude? He was pretty much the devil.

I knew I wasn't that kid anymore, and Sookie was about right the anger I was holding on to. It was causing more harm than good. A lot more harm. We'd lost Alcide and Hadley in a heartbeat. So many things we'd never get to say to them again, or do with them. So many things they'd never get to do. Their life snuffed out in a second, mine could have been, too. Had Sophie been going any faster, had I been closer to the wall, I would have ended up just as dead, just as fast. What then? A lot of things went unsaid. I didn't tell my mother I loved her, or that I was angry with her for a very long time, but as someone who's been on his own for a time… to then be thrust into a family. The idea of losing that now seems nightmarish to me… did she feel that way when my dad died? Did she feel lost? Is that why she took to Andrew so quickly? Had I died, had I been left a vegetable, I'd never get the answers to those questions.

But I could now. Or I could eventually. Maybe not right now. Right now I was just trying to be civil to the woman. Knowing it was the first thing my dad ever taught me, and probably the first thing I'd forgotten as a grown man at times. Respect. And it wasn't the point that I wasn't her number one fan, the best son, had the best mother or could say I knew her all that well—the point was, she had given me a shot at life. I had to respect that as a man. I had to own up to my own mistakes like I hoped she'd own up to hers one day. I could be the bigger person here; I could be a grown up.

I would be.

Sookie had ordered enough food to feed a small army, though I was starving so I was the last to complain. Jessica sat next to me in her booster chair at the table for a change. She was getting a little big for her highchair now, so we'd have to find another way of making sure she strapped in to eat. She was a big mess within minutes. A toddler and Italian food, not the greatest of mixes. Mom and Sookie seemed to get on well—commenting on the ingredients, how it was made, where it was that this new place was situated—small talk about their shopping. Anything and everything except what they were waiting for me to talk about.

"How's the bar, Eric? Last I heard you were doing very well," mom said.

Sookie looked at me, and I could almost feel her willing me to cooperate with my mom.

"Yeah, it's good. I mean, we're good. Pam, she's a great manager and most of the time we're really busy and we're up for the best bar in Louisiana competition again this year."

"They won two years in a row," Sookie commented, and I didn't know she knew that. "What? You were my competition remember?" she smiled, before forking her food into her mouth again.

Right, how could I forget?

"Oh! Well, that's wonderful! Just wonderful, congratulations," she said with a smile that looked almost genuine.

"Uh, thanks," I said.

"I just… well, I just can't believe you're a father," she said smiling at Jessica. "I know she's not your daughter … the old fashioned way… but I can see she loves you just as if she were."

"Yeah, well, biological or not, she's my kid. Our kid. And I plan to do my best for her."

"Unlike me, right?" she said sipping her wine.

"Mom, look... It's not like I think you didn't try… it's just sometimes you… it's like you didn't try hard enough."

"It's too late, isn't it?" she asked looking straight at me.

"For what?"

"For you to forgive me."

I just closed my eyes and took a breath.

"I don't know. I just … don't know."

She nodded.

"I… I know I have no right to ask, but I'd very much like to know Jessica. I understand if it's not something that you want, but I'm asking."

"Mom—"

"I messed everything up with us, Eric. I know that. I was a shitty mother."

The word shitty and my mother's posh accent just didn't mesh.

"But I don't have to be a shitty grandmother, and I'm sorry for using that word around the baby."

She looked to Sookie who just shrugged, "Believe me, she's heard worse."

I fought the urge to chuckle. I mean, it was true.

"I'm not going to stop you seeing Jess, okay? She has a Nana and she should know who she is."

There were tears in her eyes, but she smiled.

"Thank you, son."

I looked to Sookie who made a slight "meep" noise before she got up from the table to go to the fridge.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I'm fine!" she said with an obvious frog in her throat. I had to laugh at my mother's concerned expression. "This is the girl that cries at Kleenex commercials," I pointed out to her and Sookie just ran her hand through my fuzzy buzzed hair.

"Not the time for mocking, Eric."

"Totally the time for mocking."

"I'm sorry, okay? You two just got very, Lifetime movie on me, that's all."

I pulled her close for a second planting a kiss on her head before letting her go.

"Sookie's _special_."

"She is," my mother agreed.

"I think he's mocking me again, Olivia."

I looked innocent, though I might have been mocking just a touch.

"Mocking his girlfriend, one who, might I add, has been taking care of his convalescing self for more than a week now. Taking care of his _every need_." She laid on the last part, real thick, with a quirk of her brow. "I mean honestly, what would he do if I stopped taking care of those, needs?"

She slid her toe up my non-screwed up leg, and I got her drift.

"I would never mock you, never, not like that, and certainly not when you've been doing such a good _job."_

Mom was feeding Jessica something from her dish and she just laughed.

I won't lie, after dinner all I wanted was for Jessica to magically go to bed on her own and for my mom to be deaf and in Alaska. Because all I kept thinking was 'Sookie's going to do things to me. Nice things. Naked things.' And I wanted the naked things more than I wanted stupid chit chat about remodeling the damn living room. We said goodnight to my mother after laying a zonked out Jessica with her bottle in her crib. Sookie watched as I hobbled into what I was calling 'our' room. By the time I'd been able to hop myself up onto my bed and leave my crutch by the side of it, she was standing there in nothing but a long white tank top and white cotton panties.

Jesus, how could something so simple be so hot?

"Oh, hi."

_"Hi,_" she smirked crawling up the bed, careful to avoid my leg as she straddled me. Oh this was going to be interesting. We kissed, hard and fast for a second, her hands massaging my scalp as we did.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" she asked kissing me again. "And I don't just mean that as a pun because I can feel just HOW up for this you are… I mean, everything else is okay, right?"

"Seriously, Sookie you're half naked on top me and asking me with those sexy eyes to lay back and enjoy and you're expecting me to have thoughts right now? Other than, oh my God, she's on top of me and I'm gonna get laid? Really?"

She laughed close to my face, before her lips started in on my earlobe again. Man, that felt nice.

"Just making sure. I like you alive."

"I'm feeling more alive now than I have in days…"

"Shocking." She smirked, biting my lip softly before she began grinding into me.

Holy shit that was hot. We both stayed like that just making out and groping and trying really hard not to moan how amazingly fuck hot it felt.

"If we do this, we have got to be super silent. This needs to be like ninja sex, okay?"

"Yeah… Yeah." Seriously she could have said I'd have to do it hanging upside down and I'd have agreed right then.

"I mean it."

"You're the loud one."

"I am not!"

"You are, too!" I fake pouted before I yanked off her tank, to expose those beautiful breasts of hers. After a few more minutes or hours or days of however long it was of making out and driving each other nuts—silently might I add—she stood up on the bed and took off her panties, one leg at a time, and I honestly felt like it was Christmas.

So perfect. So wet and so... mine.

We were a panting mess just from kissing. The silent sex might not happen like I wanted. We didn't talk before she slid down my boxers and I was seeing stars as she let me inside her again. Once was not enough. Once would have never been enough.

She got reacquainted with my headboard, again using it as leverage to help buck herself up and down on top of me. Stupid injuries meant my arms were tired, my head was killing me, but everything else felt far too fucking amazing to stop. My lips got to know her over and over—neck, lips, jaw line, neck, lips, chest, breast… everywhere and anywhere I could taste, I did.

She pushed her body backwards, leaning on her hands, again careful not to touch my legs and bucked harder still. I could see her biting her lip so hard I was shocked there wasn't blood. Her face contorted into the most blissful expressions before she pulled herself up to bury her face in my neck before she fucked me harder and even faster than before. She was close, and honestly, so was I. Between using my good arm to hold her to me—my other was useless—I couldn't bring her over her edge with my fingers as well as my dick like I had so wanted to. She seemed to sense this and her impending orgasm, as well as mine, so she did it herself. The visual of her riding me like that, so careful but so carefree all at once, and to touch herself in front me like that? I was a goner, in more ways than one. Coming before she did was embarrassing for me, though she was blissfully unaware, as she carefully lay down next to me.

"I don't think we can do silent sex," she said with a giggle, as I recalled her moaning my name into my neck, but not far enough in to muffle the sound.

Oh yeah, we were definitely busted.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Well this is it folks! Last chapter of Life, accidental! Thank you all so much for reading this and hopping on the madness bandwagon with me! To my beta Vikinglover_elle for all her help and all my girls on Twitter for their input and encouragement! *Muah* **

**Enjoy! **

**SPOV:**

After a very fast morning shower, I dried my hair and put on a little makeup. Call me crazy but being around someone as glamorous as Olivia made me want to look my best. It wasn't required but it made me feel prettier. Eric was still fast asleep, and while I was tempted to wake him up in a much more sensual manner, Jessica's screams managed to do it faster. She'd learned how to get out of her diaper, which was leading to more disasters than ever. She was soaking wet and naked in her crib for the third morning in a row... Eric's duct tape idea wasn't looking so shabby! She just hated clothes at night; it was worrying.

After I got her cleaned up, both Eric and I managed to get her downstairs to find Olivia in the kitchen… cooking.

"Um, what's this?"

"_Breakfast," _she said, since it was fairly obvious what it was.

Eric just stood there leaning on his crutch, looking stunned.

"You… can't cook."

"Yes I can."

"Since when?"

"Since… you know, years ago." She waved a hand in the air.

"Mom?"

"Fine, we got a new housekeeper a few years ago—lovely Chinese woman, Lena—and, well, she taught me a few things."

"You… are cooking?" he said again, still stunned.

"Yes. Stop catching flies darling, it's not an attractive look. Bacon?"

He looked at me, blinking excessively. Stunned Eric was hilarious looking.

"Sweetie, sit." I patted the seat next to Jessica and I. "It smells lovely Liv." She'd insisted I call her Liv, or Livvy, since I was quote 'family' now. It made me smile wide.

"Pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausages, toast and French toast."

"How long have you been up?" Eric asked her as she set a plate down in front of him, then me.

"Since around seven. I had a little trouble getting to sleep last night." She smirked though neither of us noticed at the time.

"Oh why?" I asked, stupidly fixing Jessica's shoe.

"Well, you both have sex rather loudly so it was a little distracting while I was trying to read before sleeping."

My mouth simply went agape while Eric snorted into his orange juice.

"Oh," I said. She just laughed and ate her toast. "I_… oh."_

I could feel my face getting hotter and hotter as I sat there.

"Oh, sweetie it's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it's rather flattering knowing that my son is such a giving lover.

"_Mom!"_

"Liv!" Eric and I said at once.

"What?" she shrugged. " Eric, a woman is responsible for a lot of things in life. It's good to know that you aren't making her responsible for her own orgasms as well."

Seriously, I wanted. To . Die.

"Really, it's a problem these days. Men, especially good looking men, just being lazy lovers. My friends tell me that even their new boy toys aren't really all that exciting in the sack."

"Oh, Jesus, mother, please?"

"I'm just saying! I mean, your father he used to—"

"Seriously, keep talking and I'm leaving!" Eric cringed, his head in his hands, his face redder than even mine. She just laughed a big, genuine laugh. Apparently, embarrassing her adult son was fun for her. Suddenly neither of us was very hungry.

Olivia's weekend was over before we knew it. She and Eric, while not TV family material, were laying a foundation. One that gave me hope that maybe one day they'd be able to make peace with the other, and themselves at some point. She promised that she'd try not to talk to us about sex in the future after the incident at the breakfast table… The problem with never having a mother around to embarrass me meant that when it happened now as an adult, it was nineteen thousand times more mortifying than I suspected it might have been as a teenager. That, and really, it made me paranoid. What exactly had she heard? I was blushing just thinking about it to be honest. Eric laughed it off, and laughed at me, telling me that sex was a natural beautiful part of life—which wasn't something I disagreed with—but it was a natural, beautiful part of life that I wanted kept private. Of course, when I brought up the subject of his mother and that natural part of life, he freaked out. It was hilarious. Apparently Eric Northman was not born, he was dropped off by the stork.

By Christmas week, he and I were exhausted. Eric had gone a little nuts, after he'd been freed from his various 'casts of doom,' as he had taken to calling them. He decided that Christmas would be an awesome holiday, telling me that it was our first with Jessica, our first in the new house, and our first as a couple. His sweetness always made me smile. Most guys wouldn't give a shit, but not Eric. He wanted to make it special, and considering how awful Thanksgiving had turned out, I can't say I blame him. Instead of having a ton of people over, we decided to play the 'recovery' card when it came to having a big over-sized Christmas. I wanted it to be just us—Eric, Jess and I. I wanted to relax, I wanted peace, and I knew I'd never get that with the stress of cooking for a million people. In the days leading up to Christmas, we tried to explain to Jessica all about Santa, and how he brought boys and girls toys if they were good. Personally, I don't think she really cared. I mean, why would she? She had her own personal Santa in the form of Pam everyday of the year. But still, it was fun to have her excited for something, even if she didn't totally understand it. Eric went nuts, and I mean had I ever doubted his relation to Olivia before our shopping trip for Jessica's toys it was confirmed afterwards. He was a giant man child, and despite my protests, Jessica got a cart full of toys—some she wouldn't even be tall enough to use for another six months. I wanted to put a stop to his extravagance, but I felt it wasn't fair. She was his to spoil as he saw fit, just like I did.

"Good morning..." I heard, gruff and half asleep next to me as I opened my eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Eric."

"Merry indeed." He wriggled his brows at me.

Since Eric was freed from his confinements, and given the all clear from the doctors, he'd been taking any and every opportunity we had when we were alone, to 'make up for lost time' as he put it.

"Oh, ho-no! Down boy," I said as he scooted under the covers. Not being able to see what he was up to made me nervous, then I felt his lips on my bellybutton.

"Eric! We don't have _time_ for this, as much as I hate to say it." He ignored me.

I pushed back the quilt to find him looking up at me like a wounded puppy.

"What? We can't have Christmas sex?"

"Eric, just by putting the name of the day in front of it doesn't make it seasonal! We've had Monday sex, Tuesday sex, days that end in _Y_ sex… It's just sex."

"But if I …" He disappeared leaning off the edge of the bed grabbing something—that something turned out to be a Santa hat. I laughed; he was ridiculous.

"If I wear _this_, can we call it Christmas sex?"

I couldn't hide my giggle.

"You're ridiculous, you know that right?"

"You think I'm adorable, really," he said shaking his head so the bobble on the end of the hat shook too, just before he laid his whole body on top of me to kiss me.

"Pam…"

"You know, it would help if you didn't call out my friend's name when I'm trying to make love to you…" he said, stopping abruptly and I laughed.

"No, silly, Pam and Ames are coming over for breakfast… so... We have to get up!"

"No," he dragged out. "No, let's call them and cancel and tell them to make their own stupid food and we can stay here and do… things, until Jessica wakes up."

"Eric…"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Fine, but next time we think they're going to have sex? We're prank calling them to block their _non-existent _cocks."

We had agreed to breakfast here with Amelia and Pam that morning, before our call to Olivia and Niall. Niall, who for a man of his mid-sixties, was very technologically advanced. We'd had several web chats using our webcams and Jessica was so confused, but Niall seemed like a sweet hearted man—one I couldn't wait to meet in person. He had requested me as a friend on Facebook shortly after. Eric didn't even have a Facebook at that point.

With the truckload of toys that was bought between Eric and I, Pam arrived with several new outfits and shoes for not yet two year old to add to it. At this point, she had more designers in her wardrobe than I did! She also bought me a stunning Tiffany tennis bracelet. I was shocked, but it was stunning; not that I ever doubted Pam's taste.

Once Eric was awake, it was a matter of starting all manner of breakfast foods before I jumped in the shower while he entertained our guests. Before I got dressed I saw my phone was flashing.

A voicemail from Jason.

I had tears in my eyes almost instantly. He sounded sober, which was new. He wished me Merry Christmas, and that he hoped I was okay; that he hoped Jessica was okay and that he missed me.

Those were words I hadn't heard from my brother since we were little. He told me that he had tried to get his act together, how Gran would have been ashamed of him, just like I was ashamed of him. He'd met a girl, and she'd convinced him to check into a medical rehab for his kinds of problems. He was doing it today of all days, and if it all went well, he'd be allowed out in a few months. He was asking for a shot, one last shot at being my brother, at having a sister. And that when he got out, would it be okay if he called me sometime. By the time his message was done, I was a sobbing mess. For the longest time Jason refused to even take my calls, so wrapped up in his own never ending pity party as he was. This time he sounded solid. He sounded like my brother again.

Eric came into the room looking for me when his expression changed.

"Jesus, what happened? Are you alright?"

I let him hear the voicemail, and he instantly understood.

"Is this something you wanna do?"

"He's my brother, I can't just ignore him."

"True, but is he really someone you want around Jess?"

He had a very valid point.

"I don't know. Everyone deserves a second chance, that's all I know. Maybe this will fix his problems, make him want a better life for himself. I don't know, but I think I need to give him a shot."

"Well, it's your decision. You know I'll support it, right?"

I smiled. I did know that.

I sniffed, wiping my nose before I leaned on him as we both sat on my old bedroom floor. "Do you think it's weird that we're like this…"

"Like what?"

"This... us being this close. I mean, we've only been 'dating' a little while, and we haven't really even been on a date. Not a real one… well, there was the one—but that feels like another lifetime ago now. I just think it's weird that it's so… comfortable, so soon."

"Comfort can be good. It is good."

"Not boring?"

He chuckled. "Oh, Sookie I don't think you could ever be boring. Drama is your middle name, sweetheart."

"Sookie?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

I smiled at his timing.

"We are so backwards. We're freaks," I laughed.

"Why? Because we got a baby, moved in together, then kissed, then slept together, then broke up without actually ever being together—only to fall in love?"

"Something like that." I sighed leaning my head on his shoulder. "And yes, I'd love to go on a date with you, Eric."

"Can we open our presents now?" he said with a slight bounce.

Seriously, giant man child.

We all gathered around the far too massive Christmas tree Eric just insisted on having to open the rest of our presents. It was just the three of us by the time the present opening began. Pam let Jessica open hers first, mainly because they were eager to get back to Pam's. She had a catered Christmas arriving, and in true Pam style there was more booze planned than food. Amelia was beaming. Her news was that they'd decided to move in together. While my first instinct was that it was far too soon, I resisted. Sometimes things had to be done the unconventional way for them to work out. Just look at how Eric and I had evolved from that very first date? If they were happy, I was happy!

Jessica was in toy heaven, even though she didn't know what the hell she was doing. There was a car—an actual battery operated car that she could drive—hell, I could fit in the thing… I wonder what mileage it got? Clothes, shoes, Barbie dolls, Bratz, and a dolly that she was calling 'the beebee;' it was far too adorable for words. Eric was channeling his inner Scorsese as he got every minute of it on video.

"Hey, Sookie?" he called aiming the camera at me, "Think of everything we could do with this camera."

I almost threw a teddy at him.

"So, so, not the time."

He just smirked.

Since it was just us three for dinner, we decided on a small turkey and a toned down version of all the Thanksgiving goodies that Eric and I liked. We ate and we enjoyed watching Jessica explore not only her toys, but building various forts with the boxes that her toys came in. I swore she took more pleasure out of the damn boxes than she did the toys.

The final visit from the social worker came a few days after Christmas. Meg arrived at our door with a smile and her briefcase, and a very Mark Darcy/Bridget Jones unfashionable Christmas theme sweater.

She rolled her eyes of course. "The kids like it, and it was a gift from one of the families I was seeing today. I figure I can wear this thing once, and throw it away when I get home." She itched.

I felt really bad for her. No one should be forced to wear something with a snowman on it. Well, over the age of six, anyway.

"So, what's new?" she asked as we all took our seats in the living room. Before we could speak, she looked at us and smiled. "Ohh, I see," she said and jotted something down. I instantly grew nervous.

"What? I asked.

"You two had sex," she stated plainly and Eric just laughed.

"Excuse me!" How the hell did she know that.

"Well, come on Sookie, it's obvious. Look at you both—all stupid smiles and glowing faces. Plus, it's obvious Eric got laid. He actually looks happy. A lot happier than the last time I saw him, that's for sure. Good for you for making your move."

Okay, what was happening here?

"But you said that sex was a bad idea," I said, still not really sure what the hell was happening.

"No, I said _casual sex _was a bad idea. Sex with feelings or sex with intention for feelings? Never bad. And Eric, at least I knew, had those feelings."

"And how did you know this?"

"Because I talked to him. Something I think, at the time, you weren't doing."

_Ouch._

"Okay so… you… approve?"

"Eh, you don't need my approval. Well I mean, you do—to keep Jessica—but personally, I'm shocked it took you both so long."

"Meaning?" I asked.

"Oh, please. The sexual tension between you two was about as obvious to me as it is that Lindsey Lohan has a drug problem. There was enough tension to power a whole city, for cryin' out loud. And after Eric and I talked… well, he was obviously smitten."

"Smitten?"

"Mmhmm," she nodded, jotting down notes as she looked around the living room again. "He's your lobster."

My what now?

Eric just burst out laughing as I looked at him.

"I like her," he said handing Jessica her toy telephone on the floor as she played happily.

"He's my—"

"Lobster. You know how lobsters meet and mate, and if they like each other, they mate for life? Yeah, they do, totally. They hold claws—" she did a clasping claw action with her fingers, "in the tank when they're all old, they're still together. With the claws."

"The claws… So you think Eric and I are gonna be together when we're old?"

"Oh, completely. I like you both. You were my easy case—sweet, normal, non-drug addicted couple. Your only issues were yourselves but I had faith you'd sort them out."

"So you approve?" Eric asked, "For us to keep Jess, I mean?"

"Oh, completely. She seems happy, healthy, well adjusted. Though I see on my records you've changed her pediatrician? Reason?"

"Sookie was dating him and now she's not, so I don't want him around Jessica…"

"OR Sookie I'd imagine..." she finished for Eric.

"Something like that." Yeah, Eric had insisted we find a new doctor for Jessica, which we did, but that was one bitter meeting with Sam. One that I wanted to forget.

"Okay kids, I think we're all done here. Other than the yearly check-in with you, I think we're all finished. You two seem like great parents, and your neighbors speak highly of you, as do your friends—oh yeah, it was a total big brother situation. We had everyone questioned. But you passed; you're free to parent her how you like, and basically you have our stamp of approval, if there was such a thing."

"That's so amazing," I said thanking her again before I hugged her.

"Eric, remember the claws," She said laughing as she patted Jessica on the head before we walked her out the door.

Eric nudged me before smirking. "Well, at least it's not crabs. Sookie, I'd hate to give you crabs for life..."

We both laughed a little too hard before we caught a hold of ourselves. This had happened, this was real!

We were officially Jessica's parents.

Three days later, I walked into the restaurant for my very first date with _my _Eric.

**EPOV:**

Christmas was wonderful. It was all those stupid things you want from a Christmas—stress free, happy, surrounded by people you love, and you know, presents. Jessica was having a ball, and it was catching. Seeing her little face just light up and drag all her toys around, some bigger than her, it was so sweet and so touching and if anyone asked, I'd never ever admit to loving it as much as I did. I got it all on camera. Though, not exactly her first Christmas, but her first as our daughter. The first of many more to come. Sookie was beaming as much as I was. That teary-eyed look she'd get sometimes would appear and I'd know it was when thoughts of Alcide and Hadley crept in. As much as I tried not to, I couldn't help myself from missing them, and feeling sorry that they were missing this. Their little girl, our little girl was amazing. And I only hoped that whatever afterlife, or heaven they were in, they had a view to just how amazing she was going to be.

Sookie and I did the present thing, though she warned me that there was a limit—nothing over three hundred dollars. It was a good thing too since she knew my tastes. So I bought her a simple charm bracelet while Pam was in Tiffany choosing the gift I had wanted to give her. Only we'd agreed on the stupid money limit, so technically I couldn't give it to her. That didn't mean I couldn't buy it, give it to Pam… and let Pam give it to her. She 'bought' the bracelet to match the necklace I'd chosen for her birthday. My charm bracelet was much more simple, and less expensive. Though it did come with individual charms that I chose based on Sookie's personality—a little silver heart with a simple 'I love you' engraving, a pink cupcake, a tiny apple with mom on it and tiny bee. Fitting, since Sookie could be as placid as you like one minute, but sting like hell the next. She loved it, and got my joke. All was well.

Sookie had managed to find an amazing Van Cleef watch, duel time zones, and engraved. One zone was here, the other was Sweden. It was thoughtful and it made me smile. Her engraving was simply:

'_We were backwards before, but like time we go forward.'_

I strapped on my new watch as I got ready for our date. Jessica was fed and in her _jimjams_ as she was calling them. Pam and Amelia had very graciously and very out of character offered to take her to their place for the night so we could, as Pam put it, 'fuck all around the house.' Amelia had some tact and simply suggested some time alone. Unlike a proper date, I wouldn't be picking her up since we lived in the same house, and slept in the same room. However, she'd insisted we shower apart, and get ready separately, too. I understood why when she walked out of the room.

She was wearing the sex dress.

"You scrub up well, Mr. Northman," she said fixing the side of her shoe, looking me over. I'd chosen a dark grey suit and dark tie with a white shirt. Not too formal, but enough to kick in Sookie's suit kink that she didn't think I knew about. My hair grew back a little, though I had to admit, I was enjoying the freedom that came with a marine issued hair cut. I liked it that little bit shorter.

Her hair on the other hand, was down in long luscious curls and her silver open toed heels giving her that extra height I knew she loved.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I said just as casually. Hoping that I was hiding the fact that all my brain kept telling me to do was skip dinner and have Sookie instead.

She walked up to me and kissed me ever so chastely on the lips.

"We should go…"

"_Or… We could just stay here and let me explore you in that dress… or out of it," I said grabbing her by the hips and pulling her close to me. She just ran her fingers along my lapel._

"_Nice try. No. We have to be normal people and leave our house at some point." _

_In the short ride to the restaurant it was all I could do to keep my hands off of her. And she knew it._

_When we pulled up, she laughed._

"_Eric this is the same place—"_

"_That we had our very, very first date? Yeah, I know. It's why I booked it."_

"_God, why?" she asked meeting me at the door of the restaurant._

"_Because, I think it's time to create a better memory than the last one," I said opening the door for her. Already it was a thousand times better than the first time we'd been here._

_The table was waiting for us, the champagne on ice. She giggled._

"_No you didn't," she said reaching for the bottle._

"_Whatever do you mean?" I asked taking it from her to pour her a glass._

"_That's the same champagne…"_

"_Oh, you mean the expensive as hell bottle of alcohol that you stiffed me for."_

"_Which you have gotten over, yes?"_

"_Well, I figured we'd bitched about it enough that I just had to try it for myself," I said taking a sip._

"_And?" she smiled._

"_Worth every penny." I smiled at her._

_We made small talk as she sat back in her chair, looked me up and down, putting out her hand to shake. I did, reluctantly._

"_I'm Sookie, and you are?"_

_And so we began again, somewhere in the middle, at the end of a life we both hated, starting a new one we both loved. Yeah, we were backwards in our way of living life before, but maybe, just maybe, we'd be able to push each other forward from here on out. All we could was try, right?_


End file.
